Invisible Kingdom

Shortly after graduating from college, Meghan O’Rourke began experiencing sharp, stabbing pains – almost like electric shocks or tiny beestings – up and down her arms and legs. In the decades that followed, the stings would mysteriously flare up or fade away, as would a host of other debilitating symptoms, including extreme fatigue, brain fog and chronic pain. O’Rourke shuffled between specialists and spent thousands of dollars on treatment before finally getting a diagnosis. The Invisible Kingdom is O’Rourke’s lyrical account reckoning with her own body – and with a health care system that overlooks and gaslights Americans living with autoimmune disorders. A finalist for the National Book Award, this is a particularly resonant read as the nation untangles the lingering symptoms of long COVID.

— Bridget Bentz, web producer, Fresh Air