The Wig Diaries is Mary Ladd's debut irreverent cancer book. Delivered with bold gallows humor, it intimately address the gravity of cancer and invites the reader to bear witness to both the horror and the joke(s). Armed with creative sensibility, Ladd robs her diagnosis of its dour weightiness. Refusing to tiptoe around the gnarlier elements of treatment and recovery, the narrative is powerful in its unvarnished honesty and contagious lust for life exemplified by hilarious anecdotes. A uniquely fresh modern and black comedy take on cancer Covers and pokes fun at everything from diagnosis to treatment to medical bills Illustrated by noted San Francisco Chronicle Bad Reporter cartoonist Don Asmussen “I love this book.” —Mary Roach, author of the books Grunt, Stiff, Spook, and Bonk “This looks like a hoot and a half. I want more.” —Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), author of A Series of Unfortunate Events “Clear-eyed, fun, and reassuring, it’s the perfect guide!” —Vanessa Hua, author of A River of Stars and Deceit and Other Possibilities

COVID-19 is possibly the world’s biggest mass-disabling event. This ambitious book gives a humanized view of chronic illness while offering a poignant reminder of the millions of people with long COVID. The collection is rich with living history from the stories, essays, and poems of 45 long haulers. Writer Mary Ladd, a one-time Anthony Bourdain collaborator, leads the team behind an accessible paperback, offering tales of persisting symptoms and navigating the healthcare system to poignant reflections on grief, loss, and hope. This anthology is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19. * Featuring Andrew David King, Pato Hebert, Nina Storey, Emily Pinkerton, Morgan Stephens, Nikki Stewart, Sonya Huber, Ann E. Wallace, Alexis Misko, and others. * Uses a patient-centric, experiential literary approach that is brave and insightful. * A powerful testament to human resilience, strength, and solidarity. “Being part of the first-ever Long COVID Reader is significant because the pandemic was a first for the world, and our stories matter. This book is meaningful as it enables the forgotten Long COVID community to break their silence and contributes to the next phase of my healing journey." —Dr. Sabrina McQueen Johnson, wife, mother, and retired school principal. "Surviving COVID was a gift of new life. As a long hauler, I am reminded of that every day. The Long COVID Reader will be a gift that keeps on giving to others." —Steven Lewis, author, poet, a former mentor at Empire State College, and current Sarah Lawrence College Writing Institute faculty. "I want to share my story so no other woman is made to believe her symptoms are all in her head. May our narratives provide solidarity for patients, information for caregivers and providers, and increased awareness and urgency for action from the masses." —Haley Nelson, age 19. She was athletic, academic, and animated before Long-COVID, ME/CFS, POTS, and small fiber neuropathy uprooted her life. Fans of The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness, The Long Haul, and The Long COVID Survival Guide will love this book. This book is a must-read for * Anyone experiencing long COVID symptoms * Caregivers, family, friends, and anyone looking to understand long COVID * Medical professionals and researchers

The #1 New York Times bestselling (mostly true) memoir from the hilarious author of Furiously Happy. “Gaspingly funny and wonderfully inappropriate.”—O, The Oprah Magazine When Jenny Lawson was little, all she ever wanted was to fit in. That dream was cut short by her fantastically unbalanced father and a morbidly eccentric childhood. It did, however, open up an opportunity for Lawson to find the humor in the strange shame-spiral that is her life, and we are all the better for it. In the irreverent Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson’s long-suffering husband and sweet daughter help her uncover the surprising discovery that the most terribly human moments—the ones we want to pretend never happened—are the very same moments that make us the people we are today. For every intellectual misfit who thought they were the only ones to think the things that Lawson dares to say out loud, this is a poignant and hysterical look at the dark, disturbing, yet wonderful moments of our lives. Readers Guide Inside

Having cancer is one of the scariest things in the world. But you're not alone. As this cancer survivor shares her own experiences, you'll learn a lot-and you'll even laugh out loud! In Talk Cancer to Me, author Jessica Lynne DeCristofaro confesses the initial terror at her unexplained symptoms, the mounting stress as none out of myriad different specialists could help her. Finally, after landing in urgent care, she is officially diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, an aggressive type of cancer. But she's determined to beat it. Always one to look on the bright side, DeCristofaro seeks out laughter as she faces a terrible situation. While buoyantly recounting parties in the ICU and flirting with cute doctors, she also openly details some of the physical and emotional challenges cancer patients experience. DeCristofaro provides definitions doctors may gloss over and practical tips for fellow patients as they step through their own treatment process. The positivity and optimism of DeCristofaro's outlook and her often irreverent approach shines through in her writing, serving as an inspiration. From wig shopping to the best diet when undergoing radiation therapy, DeCristofaro's advice and experiences will help replace fear and uncertainty with hope and clarity. The majority of the proceeds of this book will go to cancer research.

In this brave and deeply personal memoir, one of America’s most beloved journalists, mother, and New York Times bestselling author speaks candidly about her battle against breast cancer, her quest to learn about it and teach others, and the transformative effect it’s had on her life. When former Good Morning America host Joan Lunden was diagnosed with breast cancer, she set out to learn everything about it to help her survive. With seven children counting on her, giving up was not an option. After announcing her diagnosis on Good Morning America, people all over the country rallied around Joan as she went into Warrior mode. Within a few months, after losing her hair, Joan appeared on the cover of People magazine bald, showing the world she could, and would, beat the disease. Determined to remain upbeat—to look in the mirror with a brave face—her resolve empowered women everywhere. The Today show quickly recruited Joan as a special correspondent and continues to follow her progress. A deeply personal and powerful story of pain, persistence, and perseverance, Had I Known is a chronicle of Joan’s experience and the plan she formulated and followed to battle with her disease and treatment. As Joan reveals, while her journey was not easy, it profoundly changed her in unexpected ways. Her odyssey helped Joan redefine herself, her values, and most of all, her health. Following a new clean way of eating, Joan lost thirty pounds, became more aware of the food she was eating, and avoided many of the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy. Dealing with the cancer also changed her perception of true beauty. Being attractive isn’t about the hair on your head—it’s about the strength and character you bring to everything you do. Positive yet down-to-earth, told with piercing honesty leavened with warmth and humor, Had I Known offers unforgettable, inspirational lessons for us all.

What, you've never seen someone dressed as a vampire in the chemo ward? At thirty-six, Kimberly lived a blissfully carefree existence. Her biggest worry revolved around running out of hot sauce or coffee. Then she got "the news." Ovarian cancer. Stage Three. Months of chemo. Major surgery. And a slew of uncertainty about her future. But rather than accept her diagnosis with a sense of defeat, Kimberly chose to combat the darkness with laughter, costumes, colorful wigs, and positivity. As she put it, "You can't be scared of chemo when you're wearing a coconut bra."Kimberly dishes out every hairy detail about her baldness, breakdowns, and breakthroughs - and shows that a little tumor humor is just what the doctor ordered.

Many a first-person tome has been written about cancer and chemo however, Dahlia Welsh's account of her two bouts with cancer in "I'm Just Trying to Keep My Wig on Straight" goes from shock to anxiety to grief to laughter to triumph all within the confines of her humorous way of sharing how cancer and chemo suck!