In her moving memoir, Suleika Jaouad shares the story around her leukemia diagnosis at 23 and what comes next. Filling journals regularly helped Suleika compose her memoir with details of her brief time in Paris after college, her worsening illness, her diagnosis and treatment, and her life thereafter.
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted (2021) is an educational and inspirational read about a strong woman experiencing the lowest of lows. We learn alongside Suleika about the parts of diagnosis, treatment, and side effects no one thinks to mention. We see family, friends, and loved ones struggling and supporting her through this unexpected journey—along with the fellow patients who become family. And in the second half of the memoir, we travel with Suleika as she figures out what life after treatment looks like as she embarks on a solo cross-country road trip.
I highly recommend listening to the author narrate her story.
And check out American Symphony (2023), a documentary about her husband Jon Batiste attempting to compose a symphony while Suleika undergoes further cancer treatment. It is available on Netflix (borrow a Roku).