Brain on Fire
My Month of Madness
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4.3 • 170 Ratings
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING CHLOË GRACE MORETZ
A “captivating” (The New York Times Book Review), award-winning memoir and instant New York Times bestseller that goes far beyond its riveting medical mystery, Brain on Fire is a powerful account of one woman’s struggle to recapture her identity.
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 as violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened?
In an “unforgettable” (Elle), “stunningly brave” (NPR), 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 almost 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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This memoir will have you questioning everything you know about mental health and the doctors who diagnose it. Susannah Cahalan was a promising young journalist with the world at her feet when she found herself in the midst of a mysterious psychological breakdown that threatened to destroy her life. Pairing heartbreaking recollections with page-turning science, she examines the relationship between physiological and psychological illness with brilliantly descriptive language. As inspiring as it is terrifying, Brain on Fire explores themes of grit, survival, and identity in a way that really hits home.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In 2009, Cahalan was in a serious relationship and her career as a reporter at the New York Post was taking off. But suddenly, as she tells it in this engaging memoir, she began suffering from a bizarre amalgam of debilitating symptoms including memory loss, paranoia, and severe psychosis that left her in a catatonic state that moved her close to death. Physicians remained baffled until one extraordinary doctor determined that Cahalan was "in the grip of some kind of autoimmune disease." Released from the hospital after 28 days, she had no memory of her stay there. DVDs recorded in the hospital were the only link she had to her startling condition. "Without this electronic evidence, I could never have imagined myself capable of such madness and misery," she writes. Focusing her journalistic toolbox on her story, Cahalan untangles the medical mystery surrounding her condition. She is dogged by one question: "How many other people throughout history suffered from my disease and others like it but went untreated? The question is made more pressing by the knowledge that even though the disease was discovered in 2007, some doctors I spoke to believe that it's been around at least as long as humanity has." A fast-paced and well-researched trek through a medical mystery to a hard-won recovery.
Customer Reviews
Mature, real-life drama
Loved this book. Fabulous integration of drama and science.
Fascinating
This book was a wonderful read, well written, great information, and a fascinating although scary story. I am really happy Susannah shared her story with the world.
Couldn't put it down
Written in clear, dynamic prose, Brain on Fire is a great read on many levels. First off, it's a riveting story with a time-honoured dramatic arc, the power of which is undeniable. On top of that, it's a spell-binding detective story, a deeply personal memoir, and a cautionary tale about science and medicine. The reader takes away a hefty dose of new awareness and knowledge, delivered in a highly engaging and entertaining package. At times harrowing, funny and uplifting, Brain on Fire is chock-full of heroes and crucial moments that kept me turning pages and cheering for the author throughout her journey.