My guest today,

today, Suleke Joad, was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 22.

She spent the next five years fighting the disease before receiving a successful bone marrow transplant.

Her amazing memoir between Two Kingdoms tells the story of her battle with cancer

as well as the challenges of returning to everyday life

after years of being in and out of the hospital. A cancer diagnosis is never

welcome but it's particularly cruel to a 22 year old.

Her memoir is one of the most powerful books I've ever read.

If you're lucky enough to be cured,

then the expectation is that you're done. You go back to your life, you move on, hopefully with gratitude and some wisdom, and that wasn't true for me.

Welcome to people I mostly admire with Steve Levitt.

So likea brings a profound perspective on death and living to this conversation.

I enjoyed talking to her so much, not only for

like his emotional insights, but also for her practicality.

Cancer has stolen so much from you. I just want to acknowledge that up front and say I'm so sorry that you've had to endure so much. And I also want to say

though that I have incredible admiration for the beautiful and the deeply

insightful way in which you've chronicled your experiences.

It is such a wonderful gift for the millions of people who've read your writing.

Thank you.

One of the interesting things about getting sick. Thank you're not very special or unique illness or upheaval is very democratic and I've always chafed at the idea of being described as

inspiring for merely having survived an illness.

I never would have chosen in the first place.

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