Brain on Fire

Cahalan, Susannah. Brain on Fire. Free Press, 2012. 

Susannah Cahalan was a successful journalist with the New York Post when she was struck with a strange illness that caused seizures, hallucinations, and a host of other symptoms. No one could figure out what was wrong, but it was clear that Cahalan needed serious medical assistance. It was only after a doctor performed a simple test that she was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder.

This book stems from the combination of interviews of the medical staff, Cahalan's parents' journal, and thousands of pages of medical records. Cahalan describes her month of madness when her brain truly seemed to be on fire.

This was a very interesting book, made even better by an excellent narrator. The story is well-told, engrossing, and only near the end does Cahalan mount a soap box and advocate for others who may have her same illness. I'd recommend this book in a heartbeat, especially to fans of narrative nonfiction.