3.75 Stars
Rewriting Illness is a profoundly moving and heartfelt memoir chronicling Elizabeth Benedict’s personal journey with Illness. Cancer is a challenging topic to read, as it touches so many lives, but Benedict approaches it with remarkable honesty and courage. Through her audiobook, she takes listeners from the first suspicion to diagnosis and all the emotional and physical struggles in between.

One of the aspects that resonated with me most was Benedict’s exploration of the gaslighting women often experience in the medical field. Her honest recounting of the frustration and pain of having her concerns dismissed by medical professionals was both upsetting and eye-opening. By sharing these experiences, Benedict sheds light on the importance of self-advocacy in healthcare—a critical message that will inspire and empower many listeners.

Benedict’s narration adds another layer of authenticity and intimacy to her story. Her voice is engaging, making connecting with her experiences and emotions easy. I appreciated her vulnerability and the strength it must have taken to share such a personal journey. While this memoir may not be for everyone, it is a poignant, brave, and important story that deserves to be heard.

Thank you to NetGalley and Post Hypnotic Press for providing me with an audio-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really appreciated the opportunity to read this book. Despite the very emotionally difficult topic, also hitting close to home, the author openly writes of her experiences of facing her own cancer diagnosis, treatment, and the idea of her possible early mortality, with honesty and a bit of witty humor as well.

I also appreciated that she touched on the topic of gaslighting of women in the medical sector. It was so frustrating and upsetting to read the real experiences of her journey and fight to get her concerns taken seriously by the medical team she saw. By sharing these negative experiences, Benedict encourages her readers to see the importance of advocating for one's self when their health and future is concerned.

I listened to the audiobook version of Rewriting Illness. The audio version delievers an even more powerful impression and experience for the reader, as we hear the author's experiences and fears in her own voice.

Thank you to the author for sharing her experiences in a dark period of her life. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ACR.

I enjoyed reading Elizabeth Benedicit's memoir "Rewriting Illness". She describes all the emotions she goes through after being diagnosed and adds fun to her situation, which is hard to do when you have been diagnosed with cancer. She tries to change her diet and incorporates Eastern medicine into her life.
Elizabeth's memoir is a good read for anyone diagnosed with cancer. It puts someone else's experience into perspective and provides a different view of someone's cancer journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

First things first - I listened to the audiobook, and I think a lot of the issues of tone I experienced would not have been as pronounced in written form. The audio edition is read by the author, which often is an enhancement to a memoir...but this was truly a reading and not a narration, which makes it difficult to determine the intended tone of many passages. I bet that the author is a witty conversationalist, but that does not come across here in the flat reading.

The story itself is well written - all of the many reframings, indignities, changes to relationships, etc. that stem from a cancer diagnosis. But the reading makes it difficult to tell when the author is being sarcastic or facetious, which makes her come across as having been rather sheltered from the realities of human life for much of the book.

If you or someone you love has been through cancer or any other life-changing diagnosis, you will get something out of reading this. But read it, don't listen to the audio!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A moving memoir that provides a view into the life of a middle-aged woman fighting for her life while navigating the intricacies of the US medical system right before and through COVID lockdowns. Reflections provide great insights about how the cancer journey has changed over the last few decades as well as how it changes oneself. A powerful read for any woman or man looking for insights into the struggles with a life threatening illness.

a very honest and personal account of elizabeth benedict's experience of being diagnosed with and treated for cancer, as well as the aftermath of the illness. i listened to the audiobook version of this memoir and though, at times, i thought the story might've come across even better if it had been read by a professional voice actor, i really appreciated being able to listen to it in elizabeth benedict's own voice, which added another layer of authenticity to an already incredibly authentic narrative. i loved how openly the author speaks about her hypochondria as well as her experience with the medical system, particularly of not being taken seriously by doctors (especially as a woman). what made her criticism of the medical establishment even more convincing was the fact that she presented such a nuanced view on it: she does not only point out where doctors go wrong, but also tries to understand their motivations and what leads them to giving questionable advice or making risky decisions. generally, elizabeth benedict maanges to tell her story in a very lighthearted way, without sugar-coating the terrifying reality of living with an illness like cancer. would definitely recommend!

I thought this was a real, raw, and witty life story and retelling of Elizabeth's medical journey.

Thank you NetGalley, Elizabeth Benedict and Post Hypnotic Press for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

“𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵.”

Benedict shares a lot of thoughts, reflections, observations, and insights I agree with and brought verbiage to those which I’ve had but have never said aloud. Though we have different stories and different types (at different ages), there is a profoundly sad sense of sympathy and understanding. The thoughts of paranoia and dark rabbit holes that wind up freaking you out and leads to thinking every pain or bump or symptom means the cancer had spread or returned. How it overtakes your mind and perspective, brewing up questions and concerns you never thought would ever arise. How it literally impacts every aspect of your life. To those who haven’t experienced a cancer diagnosis it may seem absurd, dramatic, but it’s wild how sickeningly true this happens without effort; that the cancer may mean a nightmare for how the body functions and the treatments it will have to endure but the knowledge of a diagnosis is a literal mental nightmare that never shuts its screaming mouth.

Benedict walks us through all of this as she discovers her lumps, endures the hassle of healthcare as she has scans and tests and biopsies and the waiting periods inbetween, and the aftermath. There were several things she spoke of that I had a “omg I totally agree/that’s so true/that was my experience too” moment, such as the observation of the normalcy and complacency that providers [can] display when sharing the process to diagnosis that which will completely turn our lives upside down and inside out, saying “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵.” (Not all but I definitely had this; my specialist who informed me was so frank and curt.) Or whenever she brought up the amount of times the possible side effects of treatments and medications severely outweigh what you are experiencing that causes the need for such things. Or even when you’re hospitalized and your roommate gets discharged so you naively think “yay, some peace and quiet” only to be woken during the worst possible early hours of the morning by a new admission (whoever says they’ve gotten good sleep in the hospital is a liar).

“𝘐𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦. … 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. … 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥-𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.”

One area I found so interesting is when she talks about fear and how odd they can be; how one woman she knows is fearful of her daughter’s safety when she’s home 10 minutes late but is not afraid of flying, and another had visited Serevajo several times during the Bosnian war but yet was afraid to sleep alone when she had cancer. Or even herself not being afraid to public speak but is of talking privately with doctors. And how men and women are fearful of different things and display this differently.

Most of what Benedict talks about will be triggering for people, specifically those who have had a cancer diagnosis, but even to those who have witnessed and walked alongside a loved one who has as talks about her own journey but she also makes comments about others she’s known who have too. Personally, I actually found some of it comforting. It’s the “I hate you went through this too but I’m glad I’m not the only one” sentiment and for anyone who has or is going through cancer, listening to Benedict share her story in her voice as she reads her own words, it might just be a paradoxical comfort for you too.

This audiobook was nice.
I liked how we accompanied the author on her journey, from the very beginning to the diagnosis, telling the family and the long way after this.
I think this is a good way to bring awareness about this topic since there are still many people that just ignore it or think „yeah whatever, it won’t be cancer“.
It was easy to follow the author/narrator in this audiobook, though what happened to me was that some of the chapters/paragraphs repeated themselves. I don’t know if this is in the book or if it was a technical issue.

I recommend reading/listening to this book if you want to have some insights in how life is with this diagnosis.

This story is about the author's journey with illness, specifically cancer, and the challenges of being diagnosed and undergoing treatment in the healthcare system. I appreciate the humor with which Benedict shares her story. When dealing with any long-term illness, finding humor in anything you possibly can is a coping mechanism. That said, I don't think there was anything novel about what the author had to share. As a memoir, this was interesting and highlights the issues within the United States healthcare system. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This certainly gives you a sense of how the healthcare system works and emphasized why you should educate and advocate for yourself. I really enjoyed the direct nature of the story. I would suggest that it will be beneficial to anyone who has had to navigate the system.

Elizabeth Benedict shares her journey through the healthcare system as she is diagnosed and treated with cancer. She also expresses her struggles with hypochondria disorder that sends her into fits of unease when things seem amiss with her health.

This book was a pretty normal example of a regular person getting diagnosed and struggling to be seen in the healthcare system. The author writes about the same struggles people face daily with almost every illness when trying to get doctors to listen and dealing with the unknowns. It was hard to find understanding in the author’s frustrations when her diagnosis god delayed an extra week due to the doctor's schedule when she has just delayed it for three weeks due to hers. Overall a pretty summative story about becoming ill and all the worries with it. I don’t think the author “Re-wrote” anything about illness. But her journey gave voice to many’s struggles.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the ARC copy this audiobook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This book is about author’s lifelong struggle with paralyzing anxiety and fears of a potential catastrophic event like death or terminal illness and her experience of healing and survival from it.

Elizabeth Benedict is a woman whose life seems happy and fulfilling. She’s got a loving family and an accomplished career as a fiction writer and a college admissions coach. She lives in a place where she can enjoy life’s beautiful offerings of culture, art and amazing culinary experiences.

Then a day comes when her fear of death via cancer becomes reality and no matter how prepared she thought she was, it felt paralyzing and isolating. The road to healing is hard, physically and emotionally, but author gets to survive it.

At the end of this road she gets to rewrite the story of her illness and share her vulnerability and resilience with the reader.

The book is narrated by the author and makes listening to her story relatable. Her mastery of written word shows in the beautiful language she uses and the writing style.

Listening to “Rewriting Illness: A Story of My Own” was an enjoyable experience for me and felt relatable.

I listened to this on audio from NetGalley and I'll admit the audio was pretty terrible. Despite that I still devoured this. I was visiting a family member with cancer a couple times a week for several weeks, and this was one of the only books I could bring myself to pick up during this time. Hearing the author explain their experience from diagnosis to treatment to remission through thoughtful prose became a source of comfort during my long subway rides home. I particularly appreciated her insight on how she navigated the health care system and how she would have done so differently. I enjoyed this book right up until the end, which had the ingredients to be really powerful, but went in a direction that didn't quite land for me.

In Rewriting Illness, Elizabeth Benedict has written an important book about facing a life-threatening illness. Although her illness was cancer, this book could apply to any potentially fatal illness.

Although a self-proclaimed hypochondriac Ms. Benedict was not a strong advocate for herself. She turned to homeopathic remedies and internet suggestions while allowing medical professionals to drag their feet and string her along. This allowed treatment of her illness to be delayed, and could have had a negative impact on her outcome.

I wish that Rewriting Illness had been available when I faced my own life-threatening illness. Like Ms. Benedict, I was afraid to actually hear a diagnosis and the delay could have been fatal.

I would highly recommend this title to anyone who fears facing a diagnosis, to those already diagnosed and facing an uncertain future, and to potential caregivers.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital audio copy of this title from Net Galley.

#RewritingIllness#ElizabethBenedict#NetGalley

I enjoyed listening to this surprisingly light-hearted and humorous memoir narrated by the author, Elizabeth Benedict. It was nice to hear her story of being diagnosed with, treated for, and surviving cancer in her own voice. The focus here is more on the author’s fears, emotions, and personal experience of navigating the healthcare system than on the cancer itself. I think my favorite parts of the story related to what she has learned about communicating with doctors and why doctors might say things a certain way. She also waxes philosophical about topics such as the violent metaphors we use regarding illness.

Although the author has considerable privilege, I found her story relatable. Despite her education, social connections, and financial resources, she still experiences doctors acting as though her anxiety is more of an issue than her lump, has difficulty getting diagnosed in a timely fashion, and has concerns about being able to afford treatment.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in memoirs related to health problems or is curious about one woman’s cancer journey. The audiobook production is good, and the author’s narration is easy to understand and relate to.

I received a free review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

Review of “Rewriting Illness: A Story of My Own” by Elizabeth Benedict

Disclaimer: Please note that I received an ARC audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Rewriting Illness: A Story of My Own” by Elizabeth Benedict is a touching memoir that takes listeners on a personal journey through illness, fear, and the complexities of the healthcare system. With warmth and honesty, Benedict shares her own experience with cancer, offering relatable anecdotes and heartfelt reflections along the way.

Narrated by the author herself, the audiobook is filled with moments of humor, vulnerability, and resilience. Benedict’s storytelling is engaging and down-to-earth, making it easy for listeners to connect with her experiences. Through her story, she shines a light on the universal fears and frustrations that come with navigating healthcare, particularly as a woman facing a serious diagnosis.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the memoir is Benedict’s exploration of broader issues surrounding women’s health and healthcare disparities. She tackles these topics with courage and candor, highlighting the need for greater understanding and support within the medical community. Her story serves as a reminder of the importance of advocating for oneself and seeking solidarity during challenging times.

“Rewriting Illness: A Story of My Own” is a heartfelt and thought-provoking audiobook that offers insight, inspiration, and hope. Whether you’re facing your own health struggles or simply looking for a relatable story of resilience, Benedict’s memoir will leave a lasting impression.