Brett Stuckel has mapped the territory of brain tumor in ways horrifyingly and thrillingly exact to the awful, specific beauty of anaplastic astrocytoma-the star that is not a light year away, but right at hand. He has also left open on that map wide swathes of territory for those living with other cancers and, indeed, anyone living with chronic, uncertain disease. His language is utterly original and utterly close to hand. As much pain as there is in these pages, there are also lines of transcendent beauty. Thinking of the moment of death: "after your lungs are empty, / before the fingertips / close your eyes." This harsh and lovely book will bring courage and comfort to those living with illness, and to those who care for them.