Why read The Illness Lesson?

Book cover of The Illness Lesson: A Novel

Book description

'A modern scream of female outrage. A masterpiece' ELIZABETH GILBERT

'Astoundingly original . . . belongs on the shelf with your Margaret Atwood' NEW YORK TIMES

Haunting, intense and irresistible, The Illness Lesson is an extraordinary debut about women's minds and bodies, and the time-honoured tradition of doubting both.

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Illness Lesson as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Jane Galer

Author

Set in the 19th century New England social landscape of transcendentalist educational trends, this is an important book about women, misogyny, education, and ‘western’ medicine. The landscape here is a farmhouse outside a New England village where the patriarch social philosopher and teacher has started a school for girls following the death of his wife. His grown daughter is his helper, and you see where I’m going with this…also his prisoner. She is vulnerable by her sensitive nature and by her lack of worldly education. When other girls come to board at the new school and other teachers, men,…

From Jane's list on The best historical fiction books in which the location/place are primary characters – there will be trees & water.