Don't Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life

LiketwelvemillionotherAmericans,SandraBeasleysuffersfromfoodallergies.Herallergies—severeandlifelong—includedairy,egg,soy,beef,shrimp,pinenuts,cucumbers,cantaloupe,honeydew,mango,macadamias,pistachios,cashews,swordfish,andmustard.Addtothatmold,dust,grassandtreepollen,cigarettesmoke,dogs,rabbits,horses,andwool,andit’snowonderSandrafeltshehadtoliveherlifeas“AllergyGirl.”Whenbutterisdeadlyandeggscanmakeyourthroatswellshut,cupcakesandothertreatsofchildhoodareoutofthequestion—andsoSandra’smotherusedtowarnguestsagainstatoxic,frosting-tingedkisswith“Don’tkillthebirthdaygirl!”Itmayseemthatsuchapersonis“notreallydesignedtosurvive,”asonebluntnutritionistdeclaredwhilevisitingSandra’sfourth-gradeclass.ButSandrahasnotonlysurvived,she’sthrived—nowanessayist,editor,andaward-winningpoet,shehaslearnedtonavigateaworldinwhichdangercanlurkinanunassumingcornchip.Don’tKilltheBirthdayGirlisherstory.Withcandor,wit,andajournalist’scuriosity,Sandradrawsonherownexperienceswhilecoveringthescientific,cultural,andsociologicalterrainofallergies.Sheexplainsexactlywhatanallergyis,describessurvivingafamilyreunioninheart-of-Texasbeefcountrywithhervegetariansister,delvesintohowbeingallergichasaffectedherromanticrelationships,exposesthedarksideofBenadryl,explainshowparentscanworkwithschoolstoprotecttheirallergicchildren,anddetailshowpeoplewithallergiesshouldadvocateforthemselvesinarestaurant.Acompellingmixofmemoir,culturalhistory,andscience,Don’tKilltheBirthdayGirlismandatoryreadingforthemillionsoffamiliesnavigatingtheworldofallergies—andanot-to-be-missedliterarytreatfortherestofus.