A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles

A True Story of Love, Science, and Cancer

By: Mary Elizabeth Williams

Narrated by: Mary Elizabeth Williams

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

A wry, witty account of what it is like to face death - and be restored to life.

After being diagnosed in her early 40s with metastatic melanoma - a "rapidly fatal" form of cancer - journalist and mother of two Mary Elizabeth Williams finds herself in a race against the clock. She takes a once-in-a-lifetime chance and joins a clinical trial for immunotherapy, a revolutionary drug regimen that trains the body to vanquish malignant cells. Astonishingly, her cancer disappears entirely in just a few weeks. But at the same time, her best friend embarks on a cancer journey of her own - with very different results.

Williams' experiences as a patient and a medical test subject reveal with stark honesty what it takes to weather disease, the extraordinary new developments that are rewriting the rules of science - and the healing power of human connection.

©2016 Mary Elizabeth Williams (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Very Inspiring Story

The Narrator is also the Author. She does a remarkable job at expressing her feelings, thoughts & living with Cancer. She's right, Life isn't fair but she is an extraordinary example of enduring well our trials & being grateful for all our experiences in our lives especially of our privledged relationships with family & friends.

Cancer Clinical Trail Experiences

Enjoyed the author’s perspective and experiences during the exploration to a cure for Cancer via clinical trails.

Tubga U. Lithonia, GA

I enjoyed this book because it was very straightforward and to the point. The author did not mask her feelings about what she was experiencing on her journey to healing.

inspiring

there's some ups and some downs, but overall she's a really creative writer indeed.

Very inspirational 💗

I loved this book would love to hear an update on her life and the family and friends 💗

Incredibly good, in many ways

I’ve read lots of memoirs, lots of illness stories, and can say that this one is the best of all. Beautiful, inspiring, funny, and heartbreaking. So glad it’s read by the author. Well done, Mary Elizabeth (note: not “Mary” :)

Excellent book!

This is an incredibly inspiring, thoughtful, educational and humorous book. I will recommend it to everyone. Be well and keep writing Mary Elizabeth.

An Amazing Memoir

This book is an amazing, and sometimes painful, recounting of the author's journey with cancer. In addition, she explains the science of immunotherapy in laymen's terms. The book is enhance by both her skills as a professional writer and her willingness to delve into her emotional journey and to analyze her feelings at each new development in the course of her illness and treatment. She retells her own journey as well as those of several friends and relatives who suffer from cancer concurrently. This book describes the author's experience while explaining the current science involved in the treatment of melanoma.

Superb! (However…)

The book itself is excellent; it’s so very great to have a first person account that includes not only the emotions but the science in telling this first-person story.
One of my questions was never answered: how did she find out about the original spot mentioned at first? Inasmuch as it was under her hair, in a place she wouldn’t be able to see. Her hairdresser? Her husband? Maybe I missed it, but don’t recall the answer.
The medical type things are pretty much correct from a non medical person’s viewpoint. My one observation is that when she speaks of her, “Lung exerciser,” she has it backwards: the patient doesn’t blow into it, but inhales to raise the indication device. Not huge, but it might give someone reservations about their own therapy; this little torture machine is a vital part of some therapy. (Used to tell my patients to, “ Suck it up!”)
Her performance is excellent: very impressive for a non-voice actor.
I will be recommending this to a few people, and one relative in particular who lost a parent to this terrible disease. It’s that good. Will probably give her a copy for Christmas.
Well worth the listen!

Full of grace, humor and reality

Excellent writing and story. The author shares an intimate journey into her life as well as caregivers and community dealing with cancer. She does an outstanding job discussing community, support, hardship and all other aspects of the cancer journey. She does it with grace, humor and stark reality.