Nonfiction Annotation: Carrier by Bonnie J. Rough

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Carrier: Untangling the Danger in my DNA

by Bonnie J. Rough

Publication Date: 2010 - Berkeley, Counterpoint
Page Count: 316 pages
Geographic Setting: American West (Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska), Minnesota, Seattle
Time Period: 1930s-1970s, 2005-2008
Subject Headings: Ectodermal dysplasia - Patients - Biography; Bonnie Rough - Health; Pregnancy - Diseases and Complications of Pregnancy
Type: Biography - Memoir

Summary:

Bonnie Rough has a family legacy, but she never asked for it to be passed down to her. Bonnie is a carrier of Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia (HED), a genetic disorder that affects a person's hair and tooth growth, facial bone structure, and an inability to sweat. While the symptoms don't manifest for Bonnie herself, they did for her grandfather, Earl. Carrier explores the struggles Earl faced in his life as Rough alternates narratives between herself and her grandfather, presenting his life's obstacles in tandem with her own as she and her husband face the decision of passing HED onto their own children. Earl's life was far from easy, as the disorder affected him through a myriad of infections and social problems stemming from his odd appearance. Earl's problems continued on into his adulthood, leaving him addicted to painkillers, divorced, broke and ultimately alone, dying at just 49 years old. Bonnie journeys to her family's old homes and speaks with distant relatives in order to discover the life that Earl lived, as well as dealing with the ideas of genetic testing and the choices that loom as she and her husband start a family of their own. 

Reading Elements:

Pace: Varies depending on narrator changes, often leisurely
Characterization: Bonnie, Earl, and Paula (Bonnie's mother, Earl's daughter) all have sections of the book told from their perspectives. Therefore, their characters are very strongly crafted. Other characters are strong as well (Dan, Bonnie's husband, and Luke, her brother) and prominently featured. The book is heavily character-driven.
Narrative Content/Story Line: Highly narrative. There are some areas featuring medical descriptions of HED, but they are told in the context of the story. There are multiple story lines occurring in the book, with a focus on Bonnie in one, Paula in another, and Earl in another. Each have stories of their lives.
Detail: This book is highly detailed. There are ruminations on the skin genetic condition as well as descriptions of Earl dealing with it, and Bonnie's sections are very descriptive as well as she journeys to her family's old homesteads.
Learning/Experiencing: This is very high on the experiencing side of things. There is some learning as Rough explains HED, but the story is more about the experience of her grandfather, her mother, and hers and her husband's decisions regarding children.

Similar Works:

The Inheritance: A Family on the Frontlines of the Battle Against Alzheimer's Disease by Niki Kapsambelis

The Memory Palace by Mira Bartok

The Tender Land by Kathleen Finneran

The Book of Knowledge and Wonder by Steven Harvey


Comments

  1. UnknownApril 2, 2018 at 6:58 AM

    Hi!
    HED sounds like a horrible disease. I have never heard of it. It would be interesting to read this and see the different POV from the family members; to see how the same events affected their individual lives. After reading your post, I am curious to know what the author and her husband decided to do regarding their own family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erin CataldiApril 4, 2018 at 12:45 PM

    I have not heard of this book, but after reading what you wrote, I definitely want to check it out. Full points!

    ReplyDelete

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