Reviews

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

bookworm770's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced

5.0

teffiedora's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I found the science of this memoir incredibly fascinating. The human body, and more specifically in this story, the human brain can be the catalyst to kill or save us. Susannah is struck from nowhere with a potentially deadly illness: the symptoms of which present similarly as schizophrenia... And the battle to bring her back.

cloudycity_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.25

epl's review

Go to review page

5.0

An interesting “memoir” (she doesn’t really remember and has recounted the events through video footage, journals, and interviews) of a journalist who starts to encounter serious mental episodes. Extremely interesting story of a rare disease and the people who helped her fight it.

ellakatona's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Most of this information the author did not remember those few months so the amount of research and time spent to recollect those months of her life and making the story so detailed was absolutely astonishing to me.

I learned so many lessons from this book and more about both physical and mental illnesses. Her words and descriptions made me physically feel like I was in her place. I felt chills, sadness, joy, extreme discomfort and love. Though this book is daunting, it does end positively and I’m so happy for Cahalan. <3

I’m also a journalism major and she works for the Washington post, so it was really interesting in that way as well.

We are watching the movie next for class since we read the book and I’m really excited to see the similarities and differences!

veronadeau's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

knitwgrace's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Interesting memoir about a medical mystery the author went through. Decent writing. I have a hard time rating memoirs...I mean, it's their life...so I guess 4 stars??? If you like psychology, human behavior, anything medical...I think you'll like this!

adrian13's review against another edition

Go to review page

fast-paced

3.25

kaleighhh's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This was such a powerful and enthralling book. It was also so so hard to read at times because the story is just so nerve racking and saddening. Susannah Cahalan is brutally honest about her experiences, and often includes snippets from others perspectives. A lot of research and history is also intermingled in and I think that adds a lot of helpful background that I found highly interesting. Learning about Cahalan’s family’s and her own experiences with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is something I won’t soon forget. The fact that the Cahalan is a reporter definitely shows through, and the end product is a highly poignant and informative recount of lesser known disease that effects both the body and mind.

poppymoon's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This compelling story of madness had me running through the rainbow of emotions. It was so wonderfully written and had me in shock one moment and then laughing and then ending up with misty eyes. I'm so happy that this author chose to share her story of the darkest days of her life. I swill recommend this book to anyone who will listen, and maybe some that won't...