Mercies in Disguise beautifully blends the scientific with the personal in this story about a South Carolina family. The Baxley family, devout and learned, unravel the mystery of an illness that has afflicted family members for generations.
I was prepared to like this book because I so enjoyed reading Kolata's book Flu, and Mercies in Disguise did not disappoint. Kolata has a talent for explaining complicated scientific concepts for a general audience, all while providing a rich human story to accompany them.
I'd strongly recommend this book.