Cindy
Lee Neighbors

In this debut memoir, a retired United States Army Captain recounts the professional and personal hardships she endured as a military medical resident… Neighbors is unquestionably a skilled writer; she delivers wonderfully concise passages that breezily take readers through years of residency while succinctly clarifying various medical conditions and hospital roles (with a glossary as a bonus addendum). An uncompromising probe into the medical industry fused with an honest account of mental illness.

Challenging but rewarding, Cindy Lee Neighbors’s TOO MUCH is an incisive memoir of the soul-crushing dysfunction of both medical and military culture in the US. Neighbors’s story will be enlightening if not outright shocking… It’s a privileged peek at the dysfunction of the Army (and of hospital staff) in ways that are unsurprising but still uncomfortable for those who cleave to those American cultural myths… TOO MUCH strikes a successful balance: the reader sees this progression, and appreciates Neighbors’ flaws and mistakes, but still cares about her… Despite its apparent simplicity, TOO MUCH manages to subtly and powerfully negotiate the challenges of memoir. Its critiques of institutional cultures—especially medical and military cultures—are built on a solid foundation of empathy for its flawed but honest narrator.

TOO MUCH is a raw and unflinching look at one woman’s journey through the challenges of medical training, mental health struggles, and finding her own voice. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration, understanding, and a reminder that they’re not alone in their struggles.