Suleika Jaouad

Suleika Jaouad is an American writer and journalist best known for her memoir "Between Two Kingdoms" and her Emmy Award-winning New York Times column and video series "Life, Interrupted." At age 22, Jaouad was diagnosed with leukemia, leading to a nearly four-year battle with cancer. Her writing predominantly focuses on survival, illness, resilience, and the process of rebuilding life after trauma, drawing heavily from her personal experiences as a young adult cancer patient. After her recovery, Jaouad embarked on a 15,000-mile road trip across America to meet readers who had written to her during her illness, which became the foundation for "Between Two Kingdoms." She has contributed to publications including The New York Times, Vogue, and NPR, and continues to write about life after illness through her newsletter "The Isolation Journals." Her work has been recognized with several awards, including the 2012 Emmy Award for her New York Times documentary series, and she regularly speaks at universities and medical schools about her experiences with illness and recovery.

Readers connect deeply with Jaouad's raw honesty about illness and recovery in "Between Two Kingdoms." Many praise her ability to capture both the physical and emotional experiences of being sick at a young age. What readers liked: - Clear, precise writing style that avoids self-pity - Detailed descriptions of medical experiences and hospital life - Balance between personal story and universal themes - Thoughtful exploration of relationships during illness - The road trip narrative in the second half provides hope What readers disliked: - Some found the road trip section less compelling than the medical journey - A few readers noted the privilege inherent in her treatment access - Occasional pacing issues in later chapters Ratings: - Goodreads: 4.47/5 (83,000+ ratings) - Amazon: 4.7/5 (5,800+ ratings) - Barnes & Noble: 4.7/5 (700+ ratings) Reader quote: "She perfectly captures the isolation of serious illness while showing there's life on the other side." - Goodreads reviewer

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted (2021) A memoir chronicling the author's journey through leukemia diagnosis at age 22, her subsequent cancer treatment, and a 100-day road trip across America to meet people who had written to her during her illness.

Life, Interrupted (2013) A collection of essays originally published as a New York Times column documenting the author's experiences with cancer treatment and recovery in her early twenties.

Isolation Journals (2020) A compilation of personal essays and writing prompts developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on creativity and reflection during periods of isolation.

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