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If It Sounds Like a Quack...

A Journey to the Fringes of American Medicine
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( 684 ratings, 113 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In If It Sounds Like a Quack... by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling, the story delves into the intriguing world of dubious health treatments and conspiracy-minded communities. Set in a small town steeped in eccentric beliefs, the narrative weaves through the lives of its quirky residents who blur the lines between reality and deception. As the tension escalates, a mysterious plot unfolds involving a mix of crime and humour, challenging notions of trust and truth.
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Format: Hardback
$6000
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by crime stories that delve into the world of unconventional health practices and the people behind them. It offers a gripping exploration of audacious characters and their sometimes bizarre, life-threatening schemes, blending investigative journalism with a thriller-like narrative.

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If It Sounds Like a Quack...

A Pulitzer Prize finalist's bizarre journalistic journey through the world of fringe medicine, filled with leeches, baking soda IVs, and, according to at least one person, zombies.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

It's no secret that American health care has become too costly and politicised to help everyone. So where do you turn if you can't afford doctors, or don't trust them? In this book, Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling examines the growing universe of non-traditional treatments β€” including some that are really non-traditional.

With costs skyrocketing and anti-science sentiment spreading, the so-called "medical freedom" movement has grown. Now it faces its greatest challenge: going mainstream. In these pages, you'll meet medical freedom advocates including an international leech smuggler, a gold miner-turned health drink salesman who may or may not be from the Andromeda galaxy, and a man who says he can turn people into zombies with aerosol spray. One by one, these alternative healers find customers, then expand and influence, always seeking the one thing that would take their businesses to the next levelβ€”the support and approval of the government.

Should the government dictate what is medicine and what isn't? Can we have public health when disagreements over science are this profound? No, seriously, can you turn people into flesh-eating zombies? If It Sounds Like a Quack... asks these critical questions while telling the story of how we got to this improbable moment and wondering where we go from here. Buckle up for a bumpy ride...unless you're against seatbelts.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

If It Sounds Like a Quack... by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling blends humour and horror while analyzing alternative medicine practices. Reviews appreciate its irreverent, humorous style and insightful examination of the "medical freedom" movement's often bizarre and harmful consequences. The book adeptly balances entertainment and serious commentary, highlighting the quackery in modern American medical practices with both laughs and sobering revelations.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781541788879

Publisher: PublicAffairs,U.S.

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 04 May 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: PublicAffairs,U.S.

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 34.0mm

Width: 160.0mm

Height: 238.0mm

Weight: 560g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a journalist specializing in narrative features and investigative reporting. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, won a George Polk Award, and been voted Journalist of the Year by the Maine Press association, among numerous other honors. He is the author of one previous book, A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear, and his writing has appeared in Foreign Policy, USA Today, Popular Science, Atavist Magazine, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Associated Press, and elsewhere. He lives in Vermont.

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