Overview

My niece was 36, newly married, and “on top of the world,” when she collapsed and died. Her autopsy report caused us to panic—there was something in our blood that could trigger sudden death. As a mother, I prayed for the curse to spare my children. As a geneticist, I plotted to find the killer. Without planning to do so, I became a medical detective. The book tells of the sorrows a mutation caused my family for generations, revealing a history of resilience and hope. As the stories unfold, I weave in discussions about genetic testing, screening, and gene therapy. The aim is to raise awareness of the crucial role of genetic testing in safeguarding personal health and patient care. I believe I became a geneticist at a time when few women pursued this path because I was destined to help understand the family illness and advocate for genetic testing. Experts agree on the value of genetic testing when there is a family history of disease, or if the patient has an illness frequently caused by a mutation. Knowing the disease mutation lets other family members find out if they have it too and need preventive care. The book explains that doctors can order tests with genetic counseling at relatively low cost and how this will help them prescribe preventive actions, make earlier diagnoses, and get better outcomes. The book’s genetic discussions also delve into the implications of broad-based genetic screening without a family history. Policymakers are currently considering the benefits and drawbacks of this approach and I present both sides of this debate. While working on this book I uncovered a family secret hidden for over one hundred years. Family lore had it that a heavy dressmaker’s mirror fell on and killed my uncle when he was four. But the death certificate told a different story. The true cause of my uncle’s death was heart failure. My grandparents fabricated the dressmaker’s mirror accident to protect their surviving children’s marriage prospects. Long before the discovery of DNA, my grandparents intuited and feared James Watson’s message, ""We used to think that our fatewas in our stars, but now we know that, in large measure, our fateis in ourgenes.” The book suggests genetic testing and associated medical intervention can yet change our fates.

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9781538196809

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Reviews

"... heartfelt storytelling ... deftly navigates the complexities of inherited risk ... compelling, thought-provoking, instructive, and ultimately uplifting. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning the science, addressing their fears, healing from loss, and finding peace in the journey. --Janice Berliner, director, Genetic Counseling Program, Bay Path University and author of Ethical Dilemmas in Genetics and Genetic Counseling ... poignant narrative of love, loss, and resilience ... seamlessly blends her family's tragic saga with vital insights into genetic technology... candid reflections on life and emotions, paired with accessible explanations of genetics and medicine ... a rare and compelling reading experience... vivid depictions of Jewish life will resonate deeply... especially significant in today's climate of rising antisemitism. --Stanley Prusiner, MD, Nobel laureate ...intimate ... captivating ... Talmud teaches us: ""Whoever saves a single life is considered by Scripture to have saved the whole world."" ...inspiring ... from fear and secrecy to the exhilaration of scientific breakthrough and the critical lifesaving value of genetic testing. --Rabbi Naomi Levy, author of Einstein and the Rabbi ... a riveting narrative, tracing the journey from tragedy to triumph over a hidden genetic death sentence... Liebman interlaces her personal saga with the astounding advancements of the past two decades in combating genetic diseases... a compelling argument for the widespread embrace of genetic testing, illuminating its pivotal role in saving lives and enhancing health. --Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of the The Gene: An Intimate History, #1 New York Times Bestseller The Dressmaker's Mirror is a remarkable book...of immediate interest to young women with special talents, members of families affected by genetic disease, Americans appalled by resurgent antisemitism ... it will appeal to anyone looking for a captivating story about life lived large. --Mayard Olson, PhD, one of the founders of the Human Genome Project"

Author Information

Susan Weiss Liebman, PhD, was among MIT's first undergraduate female students. Upon completion of graduate and post-doctoral work she became a biology professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There she taught undergraduate and graduate genetics for thirty-four years while leading a well-funded research group in molecular genetics and raising two children with her husband. When her niece died suddenly at age thirty-six, Liebman became a medical detective. As a result, she is now a strong advocate for genetic testing.

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