Stranger in the Village of the Sick

A Memoir of Cancer, Sorcery, and Healing

Paul Stoller

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English

Beacon Press
15 April 2005

Anthropology; Popular medicine & health

After more than fifty years of good health, anthropologist Paul Stoller suddenly found himself diagnosed with lymphoma. The only thing more transformative than his fear and dread of cancer was the place it ultimately took him- twenty-five years back in time to his days as an apprentice to a West African sorcerer, Adamu Jenitongo.

Stranger in the Village of the Sick follows Stoller down this unexpected path toward personal discovery, growth, and healing. The stories here are about life in the village of the healthy and the village of the sick, and they highlight differences in how illness is culturally perceived. In America and the West, illness is war; we strive to eradicate it from our bodies and lives. In West Africa, however, illness is an ever-present companion, and sorcerers learn to master illnesses like cancer through a combination of acceptance, pragmatism, and patience.

Stoller provides a view into the ancient practices of sorcery, revealing that as an apprentice he learned to read divining shells, mix potions, and recite incantations. But it wasn't until he got cancer that he realized that sorcery embodied a more profound meaning, one that every person could use- ""Sorcery is a body of knowledge and practice that enables one to see things clearly and to walk with confidence on the path of fear.""

By: Paul Stoller
Imprint: Beacon Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 215mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 17mm
Weight: 221g
ISBN: 9780807072615
ISBN 10: 0807072613
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 15 April 2005
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Paul Stoller is professor of anthropology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and the author of eight books, including the award-winning Money Has No Smell- The Africanization of New York City. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware.

Reviews for Stranger in the Village of the Sick: A Memoir of Cancer, Sorcery, and Healing

Readers will find Stoller's account valuable and his perspective on sorcery surprisingly moving.--Publishers Weekly, starred review [A] fascinating blend of personal and cultural commentary, of provocative insights, and encouraging advice for anyone affected by cancer . . . --Frances Lefkowitz, Body and Soul Today one finds a variety of cancer drugs under trial or approved for use . . . But there is still a gap between what medicine can do now and what it will do in the future. And Stoller's book is a bridge over that gap because it reminds all patients that, in the face of illness, their lives are rich in meaning and still worth living. --Nick Owcher, Los Angeles Times