Gina Kolata (M.A.) is a writer and medical reporter for The New York Times. She has previously written five books and edited three collections of popular science writing.
[Kolata's] book recalls two other classic tales of medical anthropology, Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Anne Fadiman's The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. --The Washington Post .. .a moving, suspenseful page-turner that's likely to become a classic of medical storytelling. --The Washington Post Mercies in Disguise is the true story of one family's struggle with a rare and deadly inherited illness. Gina Kolata's prose brings to life the science as well as the maverick scientists who solve the riddle. When a blood test can now predict who is destined to be an invalid while still young, and who is spared, we agonize with family members over whether we'd want such knowledge. Mercies in Disguise reads like a medical thriller; I simply couldn't stop once I began. --Dr. Abraham Verghese, author of the New York Times bestseller Cutting for Stone Mercies in Disguise is an extraordinary medical mystery, scientific history and, above all, human drama. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Then, when I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about the Baxleys and the choices they faced. --Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography Absorbing... the interweaving tales of science, family, and medical ethics make for a compelling read. --Library Journal Gripping...Kolata's book reads like a medical thriller. --Publishers Weekly A story that pits hope against fate, courage against uncertainty... Kolata delivers an inspiring chronicle of a remarkable family, medical advances, and redefining destiny. --Booklist -[Kolata's] book recalls two other classic tales of medical anthropology, Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Anne Fadiman's The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.- --The Washington Post -Mercies in Disguise is the true story of one family's struggle with a rare and deadly inherited illness. Gina Kolata's prose brings to life the science as well as the maverick scientists who solve the riddle. When a blood test can now predict who is destined to be an invalid while still young, and who is spared, we agonize with family members over whether we'd want such knowledge. Mercies in Disguise reads like a medical thriller; I simply couldn't stop once I began.- --Dr. Abraham Verghese, author of the New York Times bestseller Cutting for Stone -Mercies in Disguise is an extraordinary medical mystery, scientific history and, above all, human drama. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Then, when I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about the Baxleys and the choices they faced.- --Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography -Absorbing... the interweaving tales of science, family, and medical ethics make for a compelling read.- --Library Journal -Gripping...Kolata's book reads like a medical thriller.- --Publishers Weekly -A story that pits hope against fate, courage against uncertainty... Kolate delivers an inspiring chronicle of a remarkable family, medical advances, and redefining destiny.- --Booklist -MERCIES IN DISGUISE is the true story of one family's struggle with a rare and deadly inherited illness. Gina Kolata's prose brings to life the science as well as the maverick scientists who solve the riddle. When a blood test can now predict who is destined to be an invalid while still young, and who is spared, we agonize with family members over whether we'd want such knowledge. MERCIES IN DISGUISE reads like a medical thriller; I simply couldn't stop once I began.- --Dr. Abraham Verghese, author of the New York Times bestseller Cutting for Stone -MERCIES IN DISGUISE is an extraordinary medical mystery, scientific history and, above all, human drama. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Then, when I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about the Baxleys and the choices they faced.- --Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography -Absorbing... the interweaving tales of science, family, and medical ethics make for a compelling read.- --Library Journal -Gripping...Kolata's book reads like a medical thriller.- --Publishers Weekly -A story that pits hope against fate, courage against uncertainty... Kolate delivers an inspiring chronicle of a remarkable family, medical advances, and redefining destiny.- --Booklist MERCIES IN DISGUISE is the true story of one family's struggle with a rare and deadly inherited illness. Gina Kolata's prose brings to life the science as well as the maverick scientists who solve the riddle. When a blood test can now predict who is destined to be an invalid while still young, and who is spared, we agonize with family members over whether we'd want such knowledge. MERCIES IN DISGUISE reads like a medical thriller; I simply couldn't stop once I began. --Dr. Abraham Verghese, author of the New York Times bestseller Cutting for Stone MERCIES IN DISGUISE is an extraordinary medical mystery, scientific history and, above all, human drama. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Then, when I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about the Baxleys and the choices they faced. --Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography Absorbing... the interweaving tales of science, family, and medical ethics make for a compelling read. --Library Journal Gripping...Kolata's book reads like a medical thriller. --Publishers Weekly A story that pits hope against fate, courage against uncertainty... Kolate delivers an inspiring chronicle of a remarkable family, medical advances, and redefining destiny. --Booklist MERCIES IN DISGUISE is the true story of one family s struggle with a rare and deadly inherited illness. Gina Kolata s prose brings to life the science as well as the maverick scientists who solve the riddle. When a blood test can now predict who is destined to be an invalid while still young, and who is spared, we agonize with family members over whether we d want such knowledge. MERCIES IN DISGUISE reads like a medical thriller; I simply couldn t stop once I began. --Dr. Abraham Verghese, author of the New York Times bestseller Cutting for Stone MERCIES IN DISGUISE is an extraordinary medical mystery, scientific history and, above all, human drama. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Then, when I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about the Baxleys and the choices they faced. --Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography