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indigospin's review against another edition
3.0
A bit too much jumping around in this book for my taste, but overall enjoyable nonetheless. It also offered me more compassion and perspective for my patients who grew up with a mentally ill parent. I never really felt emotionally connected to the author which is why I rate it in the middle. It is a compelling story, but it feels like she may be telling it about someone else's life rather than her own.
acschaffer's review against another edition
3.0
This memoir is by a woman who has an unusual condition called face blindness. She cannot reliably recognize people she knows, including her immediate family. She is not diagnosed until she is in her 30's, in part because she thinks she may be mentally ill, like her mother.
The main interest for me was related to Heather's face blindness. That's the unique hook that will attract readers. Heather's sad, dysfunctional childhood was certainly necessary, but the story jumped around a bit too much for me.
The main interest for me was related to Heather's face blindness. That's the unique hook that will attract readers. Heather's sad, dysfunctional childhood was certainly necessary, but the story jumped around a bit too much for me.
bzzilla's review against another edition
2.0
The author drove me nuts. I wanted to shake some sense into her. I almost didn't finish the book.
rmmcdowell's review against another edition
4.0
In Sellers's memoir, she recounts her childhood (living with a mother she later determined was paranoid schizophrenic and chasing after her mostly-absentee father who was a cross-dressing alcoholic) while intermittently describing her self discovery of her own prosopagnosia. Late in the book, in the Afterward, in fact, Sellers writes that when she had shared stories of her childhood in the past, professional writers had told her that it was "unbelievable" and "unsurvivable." There are moments that surely feel that way.
In truth, because most of us suffer from the inability to remember names of our acquaintances, it's easy to feel that her chapters on prosopagnosia--or face blindness--are just as unbelievable. I appreciated the mix of anecdotal information (such as the golden retriever test--you may have had your dog for years, but if we put pictures of his face in a line up of 20 other golden retrievers, could you pick yours out?) along with scientific information about how the brain recognizes faces and identifies them and their characteristics.
Sellers is a professor of English at a local college. She is a good writer, and I think the book is well organized. I appreciated her transitions between her (truly unbelievable!) childhood and its impacts on her realizations about who she is as an adult and her willingness to believe the truth about her condition. Childhood is a confusing time and, even under normal conditions, our recollections about it color so much about our adulthoods. When a brain disorder factors into that, it becomes even more difficult to see the truth and grow in that truth. There are more things to ask forgiveness for and to offer forgiveness for. But, at the end of the day, the forgiveness is worth it.
While You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know is a fascinating story about Heather Sellers's reality, it is also an important lesson for all of us. It's a reminder to extend grace, because you never know what burdens others are carrying. It's a reminder to give others permission to be real, even when their authenticity is scary or painful. It's also a reminder to believe in each other, even when the truth seems unbelievable.
Someone once asked me, after hearing me talk about my relationship with my grandmother, "Why do you even love her?"
I remember looking at that person like she was crazy and saying, "Because she's my grandma."
I thought about that a lot while reading this book. And I was glad to hear Sellers say that at the end of the day, while laying out her story and recalling her childhood and her journey into accepting her face blindness, she could see that throughout her life there had been love. There had been love for her mother and her father and love from them for her. She concludes: "I'd set out to write a book about how we learn to trust our own experience in the face of confusion, doubt, and anxiety. What I ended up with is the story of how we love each other in spite of immense limitations." (p354) Amen. Sellers reminded me of that as well.
In truth, because most of us suffer from the inability to remember names of our acquaintances, it's easy to feel that her chapters on prosopagnosia--or face blindness--are just as unbelievable. I appreciated the mix of anecdotal information (such as the golden retriever test--you may have had your dog for years, but if we put pictures of his face in a line up of 20 other golden retrievers, could you pick yours out?) along with scientific information about how the brain recognizes faces and identifies them and their characteristics.
Sellers is a professor of English at a local college. She is a good writer, and I think the book is well organized. I appreciated her transitions between her (truly unbelievable!) childhood and its impacts on her realizations about who she is as an adult and her willingness to believe the truth about her condition. Childhood is a confusing time and, even under normal conditions, our recollections about it color so much about our adulthoods. When a brain disorder factors into that, it becomes even more difficult to see the truth and grow in that truth. There are more things to ask forgiveness for and to offer forgiveness for. But, at the end of the day, the forgiveness is worth it.
While You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know is a fascinating story about Heather Sellers's reality, it is also an important lesson for all of us. It's a reminder to extend grace, because you never know what burdens others are carrying. It's a reminder to give others permission to be real, even when their authenticity is scary or painful. It's also a reminder to believe in each other, even when the truth seems unbelievable.
Someone once asked me, after hearing me talk about my relationship with my grandmother, "Why do you even love her?"
I remember looking at that person like she was crazy and saying, "Because she's my grandma."
I thought about that a lot while reading this book. And I was glad to hear Sellers say that at the end of the day, while laying out her story and recalling her childhood and her journey into accepting her face blindness, she could see that throughout her life there had been love. There had been love for her mother and her father and love from them for her. She concludes: "I'd set out to write a book about how we learn to trust our own experience in the face of confusion, doubt, and anxiety. What I ended up with is the story of how we love each other in spite of immense limitations." (p354) Amen. Sellers reminded me of that as well.
u2fan1977's review
3.0
Really 2.5, but I rounded up for good writing.
I guess I am upset because I wanted this to be a memoir about face blindness, but it was A LOT about her mom's mental illness.
And it annoyed me SO MUCH that she didn't TELL ANYONE.
I guess I am upset because I wanted this to be a memoir about face blindness, but it was A LOT about her mom's mental illness.
And it annoyed me SO MUCH that she didn't TELL ANYONE.
kristenmstewart's review against another edition
3.0
A difficult childhood re-examined in hindsight, Heather Sellers' _You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know_ joins the chorus of similar memoirs published in the last several years. What sets Sellers apart from the crowd is a rare neurological condition called prosopagnosia that leaves her unable to reliably recognize the faces of those she knows, even those closest to her.
Sellers is likable and the people in her life are bizarrely interesting, a perfect combination for a good memoir. Some really fascinating aspects of her life are described well, and her condition is explained in detail.
As she discovers more about herself and her condition through life, relationship and therapy, Sellers communicates her interesting personal history. The non-linear storytelling was a bit difficult to follow, but more than that, I felt like something was missing. Perhaps I expected it to weave together more cohesively. Many rabbit trails are introduced and not followed through well, even when they have a lot of potential to enhance the story. The conclusions she asserts seemed to jump ahead to places she hadn't taken the reader. More aggressive editing likely could have enhanced this a great deal.
If you love memoirs and are interested in reading about prosopagnosia from a first person perspective, you'll probably enjoy this book in spite of it's weaknesses.
Sellers is likable and the people in her life are bizarrely interesting, a perfect combination for a good memoir. Some really fascinating aspects of her life are described well, and her condition is explained in detail.
As she discovers more about herself and her condition through life, relationship and therapy, Sellers communicates her interesting personal history. The non-linear storytelling was a bit difficult to follow, but more than that, I felt like something was missing. Perhaps I expected it to weave together more cohesively. Many rabbit trails are introduced and not followed through well, even when they have a lot of potential to enhance the story. The conclusions she asserts seemed to jump ahead to places she hadn't taken the reader. More aggressive editing likely could have enhanced this a great deal.
If you love memoirs and are interested in reading about prosopagnosia from a first person perspective, you'll probably enjoy this book in spite of it's weaknesses.
chaosisafriend's review against another edition
5.0
Heather Sellers suffers from a rare neurological disorder called prosopagnosia or face blindness. She can’t recognize people by their faces. She wasn’t diagnosed until she was in her thirties – growing up she knew something was wrong with her but assumed she had some kind of mental illness. Adding to the confusion she experienced growing up was the fact that her mother was a paranoid schizophrenic and her father was an alcoholic who wore women’s underwear.
This book is a fascinating memoir. Heather does an excellent job of explaining her disorder in laymen’s terms and conveying the confusion she experiences on an everyday basis. Also, she describes her unusual parents so vividly, I felt like I could see and hear them. She does a great job of capturing her mother’s fluctuating moods in the manner in which her mother speaks.
I’ve always been fascinated with how the brain works and mental illness. This memoir is not only the story of Heather and her quest to make sense of her world but also a great character study of her parents, especially her mother. I found myself thinking about this book a lot and talking about it with other people more than I usually do with books I’m reading. I think it would make a great book club selection – there are so many facets of Heather’s life that would be great discussion points.
This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read, right up there with The Glass Castle. I highly recommend You Don’t Look like Anyone I Know.
This book is a fascinating memoir. Heather does an excellent job of explaining her disorder in laymen’s terms and conveying the confusion she experiences on an everyday basis. Also, she describes her unusual parents so vividly, I felt like I could see and hear them. She does a great job of capturing her mother’s fluctuating moods in the manner in which her mother speaks.
I’ve always been fascinated with how the brain works and mental illness. This memoir is not only the story of Heather and her quest to make sense of her world but also a great character study of her parents, especially her mother. I found myself thinking about this book a lot and talking about it with other people more than I usually do with books I’m reading. I think it would make a great book club selection – there are so many facets of Heather’s life that would be great discussion points.
This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read, right up there with The Glass Castle. I highly recommend You Don’t Look like Anyone I Know.
booknut7159's review against another edition
3.0
Although the story and disorder are interesting, it wasn't a very compelling read. I do NOT think our students would be interested in reading this as a Rosie or as a general NF book. Not really YA material.
mizzan's review against another edition
1.0
Couldn't finish. This review says it all: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/146249344
lisaharkins's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fascinating memoir of a woman who suffers from face blindness or prosopagnosia, a rare neurological condition that prevents her from recognizing people's faces. It is interesting to learn about this condition and how the author compensates (remembering distinctive eyebrows, ears, hair, clothing.) She is an English professor but eventually loses friends because of her condition. Reading about Sellers' childhood reminds me of other books, like The Glass Castle and Running With Scissors. How she survives the negligent/dangerous parenting and the serious family dysfunction is a wonder. (Her mother was a paranoid schizophrenic who nailed windows shut and her father was an alcoholic, cross dresser who took in drifters and disappeared without explanation.) As with Glass Castle and Running With Scissors, this book makes me grateful for the strength and resiliency of children. But it also makes me wonder about that woman who always walks by me as if she doesn't know me, the one I always thought was such a snob. Maybe, just maybe she has face blindness?? I guess you just never know what people are struggling with. This book is not well known. I found it while searching for another book - Blindness by Jose Saramago. But Sellers' journey of self-discovery and diagnosis is a fascinating read. I enjoyed her writing and tone. She never feels sorry for herself and she writes with humor and intelligence. I recommend it.