Brain on Fire (10th Anniversary Edition): My Month of Madness
An anniversary edition of the award-winning memoir and instant New York Times bestseller that goes far beyond its riveting medical mystery, Brain on Fire is the powerful account of one woman’s struggle to recapture her identity—with a new note to readers by the author.
When twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan woke up alone in a hospital room, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, she had no memory of how she’d gotten there. Days earlier, she had been on the threshold of a new, adult life: at the beginning of her first serious relationship and a promising career at a major New York newspaper. Now she was labeled violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened?
In a swift and breathtaking narrative, Susannah tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family’s inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that nearly didn’t happen. “A fascinating look at the disease that...could have cost this vibrant, vital young woman her life” (People), Brain on Fire is an unforgettable exploration of memory and identity, faith and love, and a profoundly compelling tale of survival and perseverance that is destined to become a classic.
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Readers say *Brain on Fire* is a gripping and well-written memoir that vividly depicts Susannah Cahalan’s harrowing struggle with a rare neurological ...
I could relate to this memoir on so many levels. Susannah begins having unexplained symptoms that leave her doctors puzzled and her family very worried. Her symptoms seem to be more psychiatric than physical but her family and boyfriend hold out hope and continue to ask questions and seek medical care. Once the doctors unravel the mystery she describes her treatments and her feelings about how she has changed since the onset of the illness. Highly recommend.
I have had this book on my TBR list for a while – 2020 is just the kind of year where you just have to dip more and more into my stock-pile of books I’ve collected over the years, rather than go out and buy more books.
While I was sleeping on this book, however, Netflix turned around and made a movie adaptation of it. Though I enjoyed the book a great deal, I’m cautious about watching the movie now, so I’ll leave that up to you.
Brain on Fire is kind of a miraculous book. Sure, I don’t know why I let it sit in TBR Purgatory for so long – it was a really quick read, and so, so interesting – thus, well worth my time. But really I mean that this book could just as easily never been made. Susannah Cahalan went from a very intelligent and talented journalist and over the course of a few months slipped backwards into a very mysterious mental illness that completely altered her personality, and even her memory.
Throughout the ordeal, her parents and boyfriend were tireless in seeking help for her, and because of this she was able to find answers for her ailment that actually made big progress in the medical field. In the end, the illness went away almost as quickly as it came – and she’s very lucky for it. It’s truly amazing that she was able to recover and write this book, as well as bring this ailment to popular attention because of her work. Because this ailment, though rare, is as old as humankind and we’re only now starting to discover it.
This book is what it is – a memoir by a survivor of an unusual mental illness. It’s well written because the memorist is a professional writer. In the case of memoirs, after all, I never hold it against the writer if their writing skills aren’t up to my standards. If you have a particular interest in psychology and unusual illnesses, this book will interest you as well. While this may or may not be a good thing, don’t expect there to be in-depth medical explanations. However, this book is well researched and fascinating.
If you enjoyed this review, you can find it and others like it here
While I was sleeping on this book, however, Netflix turned around and made a movie adaptation of it. Though I enjoyed the book a great deal, I’m cautious about watching the movie now, so I’ll leave that up to you.
Brain on Fire is kind of a miraculous book. Sure, I don’t know why I let it sit in TBR Purgatory for so long – it was a really quick read, and so, so interesting – thus, well worth my time. But really I mean that this book could just as easily never been made. Susannah Cahalan went from a very intelligent and talented journalist and over the course of a few months slipped backwards into a very mysterious mental illness that completely altered her personality, and even her memory.
Throughout the ordeal, her parents and boyfriend were tireless in seeking help for her, and because of this she was able to find answers for her ailment that actually made big progress in the medical field. In the end, the illness went away almost as quickly as it came – and she’s very lucky for it. It’s truly amazing that she was able to recover and write this book, as well as bring this ailment to popular attention because of her work. Because this ailment, though rare, is as old as humankind and we’re only now starting to discover it.
This book is what it is – a memoir by a survivor of an unusual mental illness. It’s well written because the memorist is a professional writer. In the case of memoirs, after all, I never hold it against the writer if their writing skills aren’t up to my standards. If you have a particular interest in psychology and unusual illnesses, this book will interest you as well. While this may or may not be a good thing, don’t expect there to be in-depth medical explanations. However, this book is well researched and fascinating.
If you enjoyed this review, you can find it and others like it here
Absolutely loved this book. It is very descriptive about the trials and tribulations Susannah went through. You really feel for her and the stuff she had to go through. I loved how descriptive she was with explaining how the doctor did the brain biopsy and her story is truly inspiring.
I also paired this book with watching the movie on Netflix. It really adds to the story. I highly recommend both!
I also paired this book with watching the movie on Netflix. It really adds to the story. I highly recommend both!
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