Nicole Eugene, a University of Houston-Victoria assistant professor of communication, knows firsthand what it is like to have narcolepsy.

Her latest book, “Narratives of Narcolepsy in Everyday Life: Exploring Intricacies of Identity, Sleepiness, and Place,” published in October 2023, offers a unique exploration of the sleep disorder by combining autoethnography, narrative research and health communication research to shine a spotlight on an often-misunderstood condition.

Nicole Eugene

“I wanted to write something that I haven’t seen before,” Eugene said. “A book that would interest both health education scholars and scholars who are interested in disability studies and others who want to have a wider understanding of how body and mind are different, as well as how it can create challenges and opportunities.”

Published by Lexington Books, an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield, the book dives into the lived experiences of those with narcolepsy and examines how these experiences intersect with various aspects of life and identity. Her goal is to fill a gap in existing literature by providing a resource that is academically rigorous while also personally engaging to the readers, she said.

Joann Olson

"One of the most important contributions of any scholarly work is its ability to challenge us to explore the nuanced aspects of our assumptions," said Joann Olson, UHV interim provost. "Dr. Eugene's book does exactly that, unlocking the potential for a deeper understanding of the world — and each other."

In one chapter, Eugene introduces the readers into her own personal story of being diagnosed with the sleep disorder at a young age and how it impacts her daily life, including managing symptoms like excessive daytime sleepiness, she said. Her narrative is deeply intertwined with her identity as a Black woman, offered a nuanced perspective on how race and health intersect.

“While narcolepsy is technically rare, it also has a very privileged space within the rare disease community because we have enough people that it does motivate those in the business to develop medicine for us,” Eugene said. “For people with rare diseases, that is their biggest challenge.”

In addition to her autoethnography, the book also features participant observation and in-depth interviews with other individuals who have narcolepsy to create a deeper understanding of the rare condition. The book also offers an analysis of how race, identity and disability intersect and can influence the experiences and perceptions of narcolepsy, she said.

“This type of qualitative research is to develop rich details that provide insight into our social world, and that’s really the goal,” Eugene said. “The book is to help people understand invisible disabilities – conditions that people may or may not feel comfortable with using a disability word. The book paints a picture of the way narcolepsy unfolds in different places such as in schools, at work or at home.”

The book can be purchased wherever books are sold, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as the publisher’s website.