The Cancer Journals

Why I recommend it

Lorde writes directly about breast cancer and mastectomy, including the pressure on women to make illness and recovery look a certain way.

What stayed with me

Naming pain and bodily change can challenge the shame around them. Silence doesn’t necessarily protect us.

Who it’s useful for

Readers interested in illness, feminism, and personal accounts of recovery.

A tension or limitation

This is Lorde’s experience and argument. Her choices won’t match what every person recovering from cancer wants or needs.