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What Members Thought

Caitlin
Dec 06, 2012 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: memoir, nonfiction, own-it
I found this book to be excellent. I prefer medical memoirs that have clear explanations of the medical stuff going on, and shies away from self-pity and standard disability narrative tropes. This book has very clear explanations of medical terminology, and it is immaculately researched. For instance, even with all my research I have done personally, the chapter "IVIG" explained the infusion in such a way that I finally feel I have an understanding of it. She also is able to hit on very common f ...more
Lesa Parnham
Dec 07, 2012 rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2012-books-read
Fascinating non-fiction account of a girl who has a mystery illness and the struggles she and her drs face trying to diagnosis. It is very technical in some parts and other parts just didn't jibe with her professed amnesia of the month. I wouldn't read it again although I am not sorry that I read it the first time hmmmmm....does that make any sense? ...more
Roseann
Jan 17, 2013 rated it really liked it
As someone who experienced encephalitis in my childhood with little to no residual problems, this story of a woman who lost a month of her life due to the disease was an eye-opener. Well written and engaging this is a look not only into the world of mental health, but also how the medical systems is often lacking in ability to diagnose.
Laura
Jul 11, 2014 rated it liked it
"Brian on Fire" has many positive reviews and I feel I should explain my 2 star rating. This is a first hand account on what happened to Susannah after she fell ill from a strange disease. I found the beginning fascinating, but towards the middle, it got too bogged down in medical details. I was hoping for a roller coaster story line, but instead got a passive journal entries and no real connection to the author. I wish I just read her New York post article instead. I felt so bogged down reading ...more
Juliana Philippa
Not sure how I feel about the subtitle using the word "madness." Usually refers to mental illness, and in a negative way that is not really appreciated, and in this instance it's a brain disorder different from mental illness.

Interested to read it nonetheless.
...more
Lolly K Dandeneau
Sep 19, 2012 marked it as to-read
Andrea
Dec 06, 2012 marked it as to-read
DeNice
Dec 10, 2012 marked it as to-read
Victoria Ferguson
Dec 19, 2012 marked it as to-read
Lisa
Dec 23, 2012 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: memoirs
Amber
Feb 04, 2013 rated it really liked it
Lisa
Feb 27, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Collene
Apr 03, 2013 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Kathi
May 04, 2013 marked it as to-read
Scienceforchildren
Jun 17, 2014 marked it as to-read
Robin
Jan 02, 2015 marked it as to-read
Megan
Mar 30, 2015 marked it as to-read
Shelves: memoirs
Wendy Lugo
Jan 25, 2016 rated it really liked it
Karim M.Z.
Jul 07, 2016 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: mental
Irina
Nov 06, 2016 rated it it was amazing
Danielle Connolly
Jan 26, 2017 marked it as to-read
Mil
Nov 18, 2017 rated it it was amazing
Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~*
Aug 28, 2018 rated it really liked it
Shelves: womans-fiction
Cathy
Dec 01, 2018 marked it as to-read
Marjie
Dec 19, 2019 rated it really liked it
Karigan
Dec 22, 2020 marked it as to-read
Sushmita
Feb 11, 2022 marked it as to-read
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