I finished this today but I'm not sure when I started it. When it came out, the media were most interested in Ms. Ehrenreich's shocking decision to forego so many annoying medical tests. This is only a small portion of the book, however, which at times doesn't seem to have a single theme. It's more of a meditation on life itself (only the author wouldn't use the term "meditation" since she sees that practice as faddish).

She rejects the standard materialistic view and ends up as something of an animist, finding free will or the ability and need to make decisions goes down to the cellular level. This isn't some kind of new age-ish peculiarity on her part but is consistent with science (she having a PhD in cell biology). Having read her Living With a Wild God I've already gone through some of these experiences with her.

I'd have given her the fifth star except she digressed a bit too much and also seemed to miss the point of meditation which I don't think she gave a fair try.