4 out of 4 stars
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Poisoned: How a Crime-Busting Prosecutor Turned His Medical Mystery into a Crusade for Environmental Victims by Alan Bell is a unique autobiography about the author’s battle with environmental poisoning. Written from the first person perspective, Poisoned starts off describing Alan’s life before he became ill. A young lawyer, Alan is a real go-getter with experience as a prosecutor specializing in organized crime. After moving to private practice and securing a job as an attorney for an insurance company, Alan moves to a brand new, state of the art building. Around this time, Alan is plagued with a plethora of physical concerns. Multiple doctors prescribe standard medication for his mysterious ailments, but Alan’s condition fails to improve. At his wits end, but determined to rehabilitate his crippled body, Alan will go to any extreme to understand the root cause of his illness.
In recounting his story, the author does a wonderful job conveying the frustration of not understanding his illness, and the sadness of losing the ability to participate in basic societal functions like shopping or eating at a restaurant. Even more distressing is the fear he faces that his terminal illness will significantly damage his relationships with his wife and young daughter. As Alan went from one doctor to the next, crossing the country, spending more and more money, I cared about Alan and worried that his story would have a tragic ending.
Poisoned succeeds not only as an emotional mystery about one man’s physical and emotional decline, but also as an introduction to the unfamiliar risks of environmental poisoning. The narrative contains just the right amount of scientific fact and explanation, all of which is portrayed in easy to understand language. It took years for the author to fully understand the multiple reasons behind his crippling condition, exemplifying the scariest part of environmental poisoning – the unknown factor. The ending of the book contains a wealth of educational information detailing lifestyle changes and tips to limit chemical injury, as well as a list of recommended reading related to the subject.
Though the majority of the book is fast paced and keeps you wondering about the final outcome, the last section of the book describes some of the legal cases Alan works on later in his life and this portion moves a bit slower. The cases are interesting, yet this section of the book is more explanatory and lacks the personal touch contained in the first half of the autobiography.
Poisoned is a rare book as it is both incredibly moving and equally well researched. This book is a real eye-opener that anyone who is in the least bit health conscience should read. For the most part, Poisoned is a true page turner that utilizes the author's emotional experiences to make reading about an important scientific subject enjoyable and educational; therefore, I give it 4 out of 4 stars.
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Poisoned
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