NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A deeply moving memoir of illness and recovery that traces one young woman’s journey from diagnosis to remission to re-entry into “normal” life—from the founder of The Isolation Journals and a subject of the Netflix documentary American Symphony ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, The Rumpus, She Reads, Library Journal, Booklist “I was immersed for the whole ride and would follow Jaouad anywhere. . . . Her writing restores the moon, lights the way as we learn to endure the unknown.”—Chanel Miller, The New York Times Book Review “Beautifully crafted . . . affecting . . . a transformative read . . . Jaouad’s insights about the self, connectedness, uncertainty and time speak to all of us.”—The Washington Post In the summer after graduating from college, Suleika Jaouad was preparing, as they say in commencement speeches, to enter “the real world.” She had fallen in love and moved to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a war correspondent. The real world she found, however, would take her into a very different kind of conflict zone. It started with an itch—first on her feet, then up her legs, like a thousand invisible mosquito bites. Next came the exhaustion, and the six-hour naps that only deepened her fatigue. Then a trip to the doctor and, a few weeks shy of her twenty-third birthday, a diagnosis: leukemia, with a 35 percent chance of survival. Just like that, the life she had imagined for herself had gone up in flames. By the time Jaouad flew home to New York, she had lost her job, her apartment, and her independence. She would spend much of the next four years in a hospital bed, fighting for her life and chronicling the saga in a column for The New York Times. When Jaouad finally walked out of the cancer ward—after countless rounds of chemo, a clinical trial, and a bone marrow transplant—she was, according to the doctors, cured. But as she would soon learn, a cure is not where the work of healing ends; it’s where it begins. She had spent the past 1,500 days in desperate pursuit of one goal—to survive. And now that she’d done so, she realized that she had no idea how to live. How would she reenter the world and live again? How could she reclaim what had been lost? Jaouad embarked—with her new best friend, Oscar, a scruffy terrier mutt—on a 100-day, 15,000-mile road trip across the country. She set out to meet some of the strangers who had written to her during her years in the hospital: a teenage girl in Florida also recovering from cancer; a teacher in California grieving the death of her son; a death-row inmate in Texas who’d spent his own years confined to a room. What she learned on this trip is that the divide between sick and well is porous, that the vast majority of us will travel back and forth between these realms throughout our lives. Between Two Kingdoms is a profound chronicle of survivorship and a fierce, tender, and inspiring exploration of what it means to begin again.
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About the author
Suleika Jaouad
Author
Suleika Jaouad is an American writer, advocate, and motivational speaker. She is the author of the "Life, Interrupted" column in The New York Times and has also written for Vogue, Glamour, NPR's All Things Considered and Women's Health. Her 2021 memoir Between Two Kingdoms, covering her struggle with leukemia, was a New York Times Best Seller. Her second book, The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life, was published on April 22, 2025.
Between Two Kingdoms
by Suleika Jaouad
Books Like Between Two Kingdoms
If you're looking for books similar to Between Two Kingdoms, here are some recommendations based on themes, tone, and narrative style.
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A powerful memoir by a neurosurgeon diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, examining life's meaning in the face of mortality. Similar to Jaouad's narrative, this book explores personal transformation through serious illness. Kalanithi reflects on his medical career, personal relationships, and philosophical understanding of life and death.
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A profound memoir about grief, loss, and survival. Didion explores her experience of losing her husband while simultaneously dealing with her daughter's serious illness. The book shares Jaouad's unflinching approach to confronting life's most challenging moments.
The Bright Hour
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A poignant memoir about a young mother's journey with terminal cancer, exploring themes of mortality, love, and resilience. Like Jaouad's work, this book offers a raw and intimate look at facing life-threatening illness. Riggs writes with remarkable honesty and humor about confronting her diagnosis while maintaining hope and connection.
It's What I Do
Lynsey Addario
A memoir by a war photographer documenting global conflicts, exploring themes of purpose and personal risk. Like Jaouad, Addario confronts life-threatening situations and reflects on personal identity and professional passion. The book offers insights into resilience and finding meaning through challenging experiences.
Wild
Cheryl Strayed
A memoir of personal healing through a transformative journey, mirroring Jaouad's cross-country road trip. Strayed hikes the Pacific Crest Trail as a way to process grief and personal trauma. The book explores themes of self-discovery, resilience, and rebuilding one's life after significant personal challenges.
Option B
Sheryl Sandberg
A book about resilience and finding strength after personal tragedy. Sandberg explores grief, recovery, and personal growth following her husband's unexpected death. The memoir shares Jaouad's themes of survival, adaptation, and discovering meaning through challenging experiences.
Brain on Fire
Susannah Cahalan
A journalist's memoir about her mysterious neurological illness and journey to recovery. Similar to Jaouad's narrative, it explores the medical system, personal resilience, and the challenge of reclaiming one's life after a devastating diagnosis. Cahalan provides an intimate look at navigating a complex medical crisis.
Sick
Porochista Khakpour
A memoir about chronic illness and identity, exploring the author's complex medical journey with Lyme disease. Similar to Jaouad's narrative, Khakpour examines the intersection of personal health, identity, and survival. The book offers a raw and honest exploration of living with chronic illness.
Everything I Know About Love
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A memoir about navigating young adulthood, relationships, and self-discovery. Like Jaouad's work, it offers a candid exploration of personal growth and transformation. Alderton writes about friendship, love, and finding oneself through life's unpredictable challenges.
Love Warrior
Glennon Doyle
A memoir about personal transformation, marriage, and self-discovery. Doyle confronts personal challenges with raw honesty, similar to Jaouad's approach. The book explores themes of healing, authenticity, and rebuilding one's life after significant personal struggles.
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