Cheating Destiny: Living With Diabetes, America's Biggest Epidemic

We are a diabetic nation: according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, one in three Americans born in this
century will become diabetic. James Hirsch's myth-shattering blend of
history, reportage, advocacy, and memoir will speak for, and to, the
20 million Americans who live with this disease. Cheating Destiny offers
revealing views of the diabetic subculture, the urge toward secrecy that
many diabetics feel, the glycemic rollercoaster they ride constantly, and
the remarkable perseverance—even heroism—required for survival.

Hirsch is uniquely qualified to write this book. An award-winning
journalist and best-selling author, he has lived with type 1 diabetes for
twenty-five years. His brother Irl, also a diabetic, is one of the country's
leading diabetologists. Most poignantly, he knows firsthand the toll diabetes
can take on parents: his three-year-old son was diagnosed with the
disease while Hirsch was writing this book.

Hirsch draws on all this expertise to craft an incisive, surprising portrayal
of the fascinating science behind the disease and the skyrocketing
impact of diabetes on our economy and society. Most striking is his candid,
authoritative writing about the psychological and emotional hurdles
that diabetics confront every day. Anyone who lives with diabetes—or
loves a diabetic—will find here an empowering voice of empathy.