Reviews - Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness

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1.29k reviews for:

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness

Susannah Cahalan

4.13 AVERAGE

sabsyoder's review against another edition

5.0

dark informative reflective tense fast-paced

icedamericanoandbooks's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

"But recognizing myself in pictures, of course, does not signify a full return; um different than I was before. When I try to pinpoint all the subtle ways that I have changed, my hand instinctively sneaks up to that raw, bumby bald spot on the front of my scalp that will never grow hair again. It is my permanent reminder that no matter how 'normal' I feel, I will never be the same person that I was before."

Brain on Fire tells the overwhelming and frightening journey of a young woman and her family's search for answers in an unknown medical drama. It's scary to to read this and realize that it's a memoir - this happened to Susannah Cahalan in real life, and that it happened to so many others before there was a proper diagnosis.

This was an incredible book to experience. It surrounded a world (the medical world and hospitals) that I'm relatively unfamiliar with, but Cahalan explains so clearly that it's easy to follow her story. The text is not bogged down with medical jargon - instead the language is easy to grasp and the more complicated procedures and tests are explained clearly. I appreciate how this style choice makes the book accessible to many readers. And it's clear from examples given inside that the book has helped many people in their own healing journeys.

One of the most inspiring and touching things was the support system created by Susannah's family and friends. I loved that even though they didn't understand what was going on, they didn't abandon her. They are the definition of the phrase "I don't understand but I love you."

I truly do believe that that support is such an important pillar for patients going through any type of medical treatment.

jlh77's review against another edition

5.0

This book was absolutely fascinating. The illness itself was new to me, but the biology of the brain and the symptoms that arise when something goes wrong was basically a review from several classes I have taken recently. I think the author does an incredible job at explaining the things that happened during her illness, why they happened, and how she felt about it and how it affected her loved ones, who were an incredible support to her during her month of illness and the years of recovery. It's a memoir, but it's also an education tool. It's scary and uplifting all at the same time. Highly recommend.