It’s been said that once you’ve seen one Crohn’s patient, you’ve seen just one Crohn’s patient. The symptoms, side effects and collateral damage of the disease vary widely from patient to patient, but Brad Harris has endured most of them. Lemon Belly is a coming-of-age memoir about thriving despite growing up with the misfortune of a chronic illness. Tinged with nostalgia and humor, the story encompasses four decades of Harris’s life. It begins with his quest for a normal childhood by keeping his illness locked safely behind bathroom doors. Despite being bullied and shamed for frequent bathroom use, being too thin, and undergoing body-altering surgery at the young age of twenty-two, he continued to date, get married and have kids, and cultivate a successful career. The memoir ends with a roller-coaster third act describing the year-long health crisis that nearly kills him—but instead leaves him stronger and determined to share his story of hope and resilience.
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