Reviews

My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor

shannon_white1099's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.25

seneca6891's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative slow-paced

3.25

grinberit's review against another edition

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4.0

I thought this book offered an incredible window into the brain. We really know so little about how areas of the brain are connected to actual experience, so it was fascinating to hear about someone’s lived experience having a stroke. Unfortunately, it was also quite repetitive. With some editing, it could have been much more concise and made the same exact points.

zgreyz's review against another edition

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informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

borbolettablue's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

sevenlefts's review against another edition

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3.0

This book was very different than I imagined it -- which is more my problem than the author's! I got a lot out of her descriptions of the stroke, fascinated at how she could describe what was happening during a very traumatic event. However, I was a little dismayed that in one sentence much later in the book she implies that all of her memories of this event were accessed through analysis of some sort. For a book by a scientists, there was something unscientific about all of it.

Which is probably the point of the book. She goes to great lengths describing how her mind operates differently post-stroke than it did pre-stroke -- and how she embraces and accepts her new way of thinking. She got to do what most people don't: rebuild her brain. And because she had the insight of former owner during the process, she had more of an ability to choose what to keep and what to re-do. I find that frightening and amazing liberating at the same time.

A very interesting book from a quite unique perspective.

asmith1297's review against another edition

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5.0

Great Insight as to how the brain works post-stroke.
I personally related to a lot of what she said.

essmith1215's review against another edition

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hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

hbmcc's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

3.5

This is an incredible story and I leaned a lot about the brain and its potential.  The author is quite repetitive, often going over the same information. I liked the tips on how to treat stroke victims/ sick people and also the concept that we can train our brains and choose what we want to allow to happen in them. 

bpc's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging informative inspiring mysterious fast-paced

4.5