Busy Body: My Life with Tourette's Syndrome

by Nick van Bloss

With lightness and warmth, musician Nick van Bloss recounts his personal experience of Tourette's syndrome—symptoms, or tics, that include obsessive physical movements and involuntary utterances and sounds. He traces the embarrassment that came with his tics, his refuge in piano playing, and his family history of the disease. With frankness and humor, he also describes coming to terms with his sexuality, finding true love, and battling a potentially terminal cancer while continuing to handle his socially debilitating condition of Tourette's syndrome. 

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Memoir

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very painful to read but insightful biography around Tourette's Disorder. An amazing person who despite so little support and facing so much adversity was able to rise above and work around his disorder :)

[Kathie]

This man has suffered Tourettes Syndrome. I was interested in Tourettes as a friend has this. Although Nick has an extreme case. I felt exhausted for him what his body puts him through on a daily basis.This was a funny insight into this man's journey of this neurological disorder. His exceptional musical talent as a pianist gives him some relief from the constant tics and other obsessive disorders associated with this. I could not put this book down.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super tough to read. The content was very good and the author does a good job explaining how things feel to him. BUT, it is almost too detailed. Maybe that sounds weird but it gave me serious anxiety to read about. I couldn't wrap my head around it for more than short bits at a time. I learned about more tics though and how OCD can fit into Tourettes & make it so much more messy to deal with.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

An eye-opening account of life with Tourette's, I am tempted to say that I have to take what I read with a grain of salt because it was a very personal account and like most neurological disorders, or syndromes every one is affected very differently.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very eye opening as to what someone with Tourette's must endure each and every day. It was neat to read about the way his new found talent and passion for playing the piano was his escape from Tourette's. Overall, I enjoyed this one and read it in a day.

[Warren Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving, honest, powerful, and unlike so many other memoirs. Told with a very personal voice that lets us into a different reality.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent autobiography by the pianist Nick Van Bloss, detailing his struggle with Tourettes and its impact on his playing, how he had to stop performing and then taking up the piano again some years later.