Title: Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life
Author: Sandra Beasley
First published July 12, 2011
229 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780307588111 (ISBN10: 0307588114)
Rating: 3.58
Overview
Join Sandra Beasley on a journey through the world of the allergic, as she shares her beautifully written and darkly funny experiences. With severe and lifelong allergies to dairy, egg, soy, beef, shrimp, pine nuts, and more, Sandra’s life has been a constant battle to avoid danger lurking in everyday items.
Her mother even warned guests not to “kill the birthday girl” with a toxic, frosting-tinged kiss. Despite these challenges, Sandra has thrived as an essayist, editor, and award-winning poet.
In Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl, she delves into the scientific, cultural, and sociological terrain of allergies, explaining what an allergy is, how it has affected her relationships, and how parents can protect their allergic children. This compelling mix of memoir, cultural history, and science is a must-read for families navigating the world of allergies, and a literary treat for everyone else.
About the Author
Meet Sandra Beasley – an accomplished author, poet, and essayist. In 2007, she won the New Issues Poetry Prize for her debut book, Theories of Falling, which was handpicked by Marie Howe.
Two years later, she won the prestigious Barnard Women Poets Prize for I Was the Jukebox, a collection of poems selected by Joy Harjo, and published by W. W.
Norton. Her works have been included in the Best American Poetry 2010, and her nonfiction pieces have been featured in the Washington Post Magazine.
Beasley’s latest work, Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales From an Allergic Life, a memoir and cultural history of food allergies, will be released by Crown in July. When she’s not traveling for readings and residencies, Beasley resides in Washington, DC, where she is a valued faculty member at the Writer’s Center.
Editoral Review
Sandra Beasley’s Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life is a memoir that shares the author’s experience growing up with severe food allergies. This book has a unique take on the memoir genre and is sure to resonate with anyone who has experienced the frustration of not being able to eat whatever they want due to a medical condition.
Beasley shares numerous anecdotes throughout the book about instances where her allergies have caused her great distress, including one particularly harrowing experience where she joins a group of friends for a meal only to have an allergic reaction that could have been fatal. Her struggle with the allergies is a central theme of the book, but her memoir is much more than that.
Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl delves into family dynamics, cultural and societal issues, and ultimately the power of one’s own determination to overcome adversity. Beasley’s writing style is conversational and easy to follow, engaging the reader from the start.
The author is both honest and thoughtful and does not shy away from sharing even the most embarrassing details. Her willingness to be vulnerable is a testament to her bravery and strength of character, and her story is sure to inspire readers who may be dealing with similar struggles in their own lives.
Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl is a unique memoir that blends together personal experiences, cultural commentary, and social awareness in a way that is relatable and thought-provoking. I particularly appreciated the author’s efforts to bring attention to the societal stigma that often accompanies food allergies, including the frequent accusation that food allergy sufferers are simply being picky or over-dramatic.
While the book’s exploration of cultural and societal issues may lead some readers to find it less focused than other memoirs, I found that the breadth of topics explored added to its richness and complexity. Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl is a memoir that is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who read it.
Overall, I highly recommend Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl to readers looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally engaging memoir. Beasley’s story is sure to inspire compassion and understanding, and it is a must-read for anyone dealing with food allergies, marginalized identities, or the struggle to overcome adversity.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 rating for its well-crafted writing and meaningful themes.
