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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
tense
fast-paced
For some reason, I missed this book when it came out! Or I did and ignored it as I usually do not like the latest, hot, best-selling books.
But, this was a fantastic memoir! I am also thrilled that there is a movie to watch. So waiting was a good thing for me especially as this was an extraordinary story!!
This was a raw, personal, and educational (not in a preachy way) memoir. I learned so much and am grateful that the author was able to write this memoir as she is fully recovered.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
But, this was a fantastic memoir! I am also thrilled that there is a movie to watch. So waiting was a good thing for me especially as this was an extraordinary story!!
This was a raw, personal, and educational (not in a preachy way) memoir. I learned so much and am grateful that the author was able to write this memoir as she is fully recovered.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
A fast read, relatable and terrifying. Author shows incredible vulnerability in writing about her ordeal.
Super fascinating and crazy!! Enjoyed the writing and perspective. Made me think about the importance of community when dealing with mental health--the NEED for support/advocates. Glad [a:Susannah Cahalan|5778057|Susannah Cahalan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1353287968p2/5778057.jpg]'s had a long-suffering network of friends and family that stayed with her and found the right doctors.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
*4.5 stars
The fact that I was within a mile of some of these events when they happened... small world!
The fact that I was within a mile of some of these events when they happened... small world!
Having a hard time deciding on 3 or 4 stars.
Parts of this book are interesting and brave, deftly told if a bit detached (which makes sense given that the author has no memory of much of her illness), parts are illuminating, and parts are bizarrely clunky, even inconsistent (like, isn't the purple lady the nurse? didn't we just establish that? why are you saying you don't know her name? and how can you have dialogue that literally reads, "No. You've got the wrong floor. This is the east wing. Epilepsy is on the west wing, same floor"?! WHICH IS IT?), and the last few chapters are very short and disjointed. Perhaps they were a bit rushed, since that's where I noticed most of the careless mistakes.
But what bugged me most about this book was that despite the author's commitment to empathy, she could be downright cruel when discussing people with mental illness or other long-term or incurable problems. There was a lot of, "I'm not like THOSE people [with epilepsy or other neurological conditions]," and, "thank god I/my daughter don't/doesn't have THAT [being irreversable brain damage]," which was never tempered with any indication or acknowledgement or self-awareness gained after the ordeal was over. It was a terrible time, and people often think terrible thoughts during terrible times, but this memoir was a reflection on her recovery and moving forward, too, and I'm actually quite pissed off that despite all of this she doesn't seem able to extend her compassion to people who DON'T have the exact same rare disease that she was eventually diagnosed with, and cured of.
On an unrelated note, regarding the scientific aspect: as a biology student primarily interested in genetics and neuroscience, and as a person with a lot of exposure to mental illness, I found the descriptions of her "madness" absolutely riveting. I don't claim to have suffered through anything like what she went through, but it's so interesting that I could relate so strongly to some of her hallucinations (that feeling of floating above your own eyes), brain blips, and depression. I am really intrigued by the possibility that brain inflammation, or something similar, could be at least partially behind certain types of mental illness. And I LOVE and wholeheartedly support breaking down the barriers between psychology and biology.
So I'm going with 3.5, but it gets rounded up to a 4 on Goodreads because of the reason.
Parts of this book are interesting and brave, deftly told if a bit detached (which makes sense given that the author has no memory of much of her illness), parts are illuminating, and parts are bizarrely clunky, even inconsistent (like, isn't the purple lady the nurse? didn't we just establish that? why are you saying you don't know her name? and how can you have dialogue that literally reads, "No. You've got the wrong floor. This is the east wing. Epilepsy is on the west wing, same floor"?! WHICH IS IT?), and the last few chapters are very short and disjointed. Perhaps they were a bit rushed, since that's where I noticed most of the careless mistakes.
But what bugged me most about this book was that despite the author's commitment to empathy, she could be downright cruel when discussing people with mental illness or other long-term or incurable problems. There was a lot of, "I'm not like THOSE people [with epilepsy or other neurological conditions]," and, "thank god I/my daughter don't/doesn't have THAT [being irreversable brain damage]," which was never tempered with any indication or acknowledgement or self-awareness gained after the ordeal was over. It was a terrible time, and people often think terrible thoughts during terrible times, but this memoir was a reflection on her recovery and moving forward, too, and I'm actually quite pissed off that despite all of this she doesn't seem able to extend her compassion to people who DON'T have the exact same rare disease that she was eventually diagnosed with, and cured of.
On an unrelated note, regarding the scientific aspect: as a biology student primarily interested in genetics and neuroscience, and as a person with a lot of exposure to mental illness, I found the descriptions of her "madness" absolutely riveting. I don't claim to have suffered through anything like what she went through, but it's so interesting that I could relate so strongly to some of her hallucinations (that feeling of floating above your own eyes), brain blips, and depression. I am really intrigued by the possibility that brain inflammation, or something similar, could be at least partially behind certain types of mental illness. And I LOVE and wholeheartedly support breaking down the barriers between psychology and biology.
So I'm going with 3.5, but it gets rounded up to a 4 on Goodreads because of the reason.
I read this basically in one sitting. Susannah is a gifted story teller and journalist. It's interesting to see where her family and doctors and physical photos/videos can help fill in the gaps where her memory falters. I cannot imagine having my life upend in this violent way. It's commendable that she now uses her experience to spread awareness and advocate for people with this disease.
challenging
emotional
informative
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced