Blood Brother: The Gene That Rocked My Family offers a brave and
nuanced take on one of the most radioactive issues of our times: genetic
testing. When her beloved brother, Jim, is diagnosed with Huntington's
disease - a fatal brain disease - author Mona Gable is suddenly thrust
into alien, frightening territory without a road map to guide her.
Still, as she recovers from the shock of her brother's death, decisions
must be made. To get tested or not? To inform her children that they may
also be at risk? To speak openly and publicly about a disease that
historically has been cloaked in secrecy and shame? This is a
must-listen for anyone who has grappled with similar issues or who
suspects that they, too, may have inherited a deadly gene.
Gable writes about women's issues, health, science, travel, and
international issues. Her work has appeared in Prevention, Fast
Company, Los Angeles Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Pacific
Standard, the Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. From
2011 to 2013, she was the feminist editor of BlogHer.com and has been a
contributor to the Huffington Post since 2006. Her essays have
appeared in several anthologies, including The Maternal Is Political:
Women Writers at the Intersection of Motherhood and Social Change and
the best-selling collection of Salon essays, Mothers Who Think: Tales
of Real-Life Parenthood. She is also a facilitator with the OpEd
Project, a venture aimed at increasing the range of voices shaping
public opinion.
