A beautifully written and darkly funny journey through the world of the allergic.
Like twelve million other Americans, Sandra Beasley suffers from food allergies. Her allergiesβsevere and lifelongβinclude dairy, egg, soy, beef, shrimp, pine nuts, cucumbers, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, macadamias, pistachios, cashews, swordfish, and mustard. Add to that mold, dust, grass and tree pollen, cigarette smoke, dogs, rabbits, horses, and wool, and itβs no wonder Sandra felt she had to live her life as βAllergy Girl.β When butter is deadly and eggs can make your throat swell shut, cupcakes and other treats of childhood are out of the questionβand so Sandraβs mother used to warn guests against a toxic, frosting-tinged kiss with βDonβt kill the birthday girl!β
It may seem that such a person is βnot really designed to survive,β as one blunt nutritionist declared while visiting Sandraβs fourth-grade class. But Sandra has not only survived, sheβs thrivedβnow an essayist, editor, and award-winning poet, she has learned to navigate a world in which danger can lurk in an unassuming corn chip. Donβt Kill the Birthday Girl is her story.
With candor, wit, and a journalistβs curiosity, Sandra draws on her own experiences while covering the scientific, cultural, and sociological terrain of allergies. She explains exactly what an allergy is, describes surviving a family reunion in heart-of-Texas beef country with her vegetarian sister, delves into how being allergic has affected her romantic relationships, exposes the dark side of Benadryl, explains how parents can work with schools to protect their allergic children, and details how people with allergies should advocate for themselves in a restaurant.
A compelling mix of memoir, cultural history, and science, Donβt Kill the Birthday Girl is mandatory reading for the millions of families navigating the world of allergiesβand a not-to-be-missed literary treat for the rest of us.
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