THE DIAGNOSIS
Alan Lightman
Vintage Books
Literary Fiction
ISBN: 0375725504
• Read an Excerpt
• Author Interview –– November 17, 2000
• Reading Group Guide
Bill Chalmers's life is about to change drastically, leaving him to question
his sanity, his relationships, and the very meaning of life. It
was a day like any other when Bill departed from home in the suburbs
of Boston to begin his workday. Boarding the train, he was alert,
planning his day of meetings and tasks, destined for success. Then
he became confused, lost his briefcase, and the world began to unravel,
his persona with it.
Once a strong, productive, corporate survivor, Bill sees himself
change in the blink of an eye to a misunderstood failure, his organs,
limbs, and life swiftly falling into oblivion. And no medical answers
are forthcoming. Doctor after doctor, test after test, and still
no diagnosis is made.
Alas, there is a play within the play --- the ancient Greek story
of Socrates and his death parallels Bill's tragic downfall. Bill's
son, Alex, takes a computer course in Greek theater and involves
his father in the plot, sending him excerpts and updates on his
progress. Most of his communication with his father is by e-mail,
a striking technological change from the communication of ancient
Greece. Watching the relationship of father and son in THE DIAGNOSIS
is an important subplot; as the characters evolve, Bill becomes
more and more immobile.
THE DIAGNOSIS is a book that asks the reader to question authority
and the importance of our family and relationships as well as the
perception of the loss of personal strength and power. A particularly
important scene toward the end of the book is when Alex and his
mother (who disappears quickly) take Bill to a large shopping mall,
where Bill's struggles with his confinement and inability to relate
appropriately to the world around him are beautifully conveyed.
Lightman has given us another jewel.
--- Reviewed by Marge Fletcher
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