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Twitch: My life with Parkinson's
'Candid and compelling, blazes onto the page with life and hope' Emilie Pine, author of Notes to Self
'Moving and insightful' - Rosanna Davison
Remarkably honest, brutally heroic and darkly humorous memoir following a devastating diagnosis of early onset Parkinson's disease.
Twitch is a frank and funny memoir about picking up the pieces when personal tragedy hits. In 2021, Irish Examiner columnist, stylist, author and podcaster Annmarie O'Connor was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease, an incurable neurodegenerative condition broadly affecting movement and mental health. Though she is no longer working as a stylist as part of her career due to Parkinson's complications, Twitch outlines her journey from a life-altering diagnosis to becoming an activist and agent of change.
'Moving and insightful' - Rosanna Davison
Remarkably honest, brutally heroic and darkly humorous memoir following a devastating diagnosis of early onset Parkinson's disease.
Twitch is a frank and funny memoir about picking up the pieces when personal tragedy hits. In 2021, Irish Examiner columnist, stylist, author and podcaster Annmarie O'Connor was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease, an incurable neurodegenerative condition broadly affecting movement and mental health. Though she is no longer working as a stylist as part of her career due to Parkinson's complications, Twitch outlines her journey from a life-altering diagnosis to becoming an activist and agent of change.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2025
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About the author
Annmarie O'Connor
5 books38 followersAnnmarie is an award-winning fashion writer, stylist and author of the bestselling book The Happy Closet (Gill Books, 2016) - a self-help guide to balancing well-being with being well-dressed. Her editorial and styling work has appeared in publications such as the Irish Examiner, Sunday Times Style magazine, The Irish Times, Irish Tatler, Image and The Gloss. She has also styled for London Fashion Week, The Voice of Ireland and clients like LVMH, Harvey Nichols, Brown Thomas and BT2.
On air, she is a regular contributor to The Dave Fanning Show, The Ryan Tubridy Show; TV3′s Xposé, Ireland AM and RTÉ’s Today show. She is editor of the Louis
Vuitton City Guide to Dublin 2012.
She has featured in Image as one Ireland’s Hot Shots (February 2009) and one of Ireland’s 100 Most Inspiring Women (February 2011); and in Irish Tatler Business on Ireland’s Power List: 1,000 Women of Influence (2013, 2014 and 2015). She is also winner of the 2015 Kerry Fashion Week Best Irish Fashion Stylist and Irish Fashion Ambassador awards.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 13, 2026
Twitch: My life with Parkinson’s by Annmarie O’Connor published with Eriu September 10th 2025. It is described as a ‘remarkably honest, brutally heroic and darkly humorous memoir following a devastating diagnosis of early onset Parkinson’s disease.’
Like many people I grab a copy of the Irish Examiner newspaper most weekends and jump straight to The Weekend section. Packed full with inspirational ideas from cultural events to fashion and lots more in-between, I take notes for future me to check out. Annmarie O’Connor has been a staple with the paper for years sharing her advice on what to wear at any given time and, most importantly, how to wear it. In any article that Annmarie would feature in herself, her natural glamour and sense of style oozed off the pages. The paper wasn’t Annmarie’s only role as she was known as the voice of women’s fashion across many media platforms.
Originally from America, Annmarie arrived to Ireland with her mother and siblings following the tragic death of her father. Settling in Galway on the west coast of Ireland, Annmarie developed her fashion sense over the years eventually making a career out of it and basing herself in Cork. When the pandemic struck in 2020 Annmarie had just packed her bags and moved from Cork to Dublin. Unable to work as before and struggling to find new accommodation she moved in with her sister. After a frustrating period of time, she made the decision to return to Cork to start over again but Annmarie’s life was about to change in unimaginable ways.
After an initial shoulder twinge, Annmarie went through various tests over a lengthy few months until, finally, in 2021 she was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease. I listened to the audiobook of Twitch which is read by Annmarie O’Connor and her ability to see the positive is awe-inspiring. She could have laid low and quietly retired into her own world but instead she decided to use her platform as a method of conveying to others her experiences and what she would like society to do. Carrying such a life-changing degenerative diagnosis is a life-sentence but Annmarie O’Connor is wasting no time working within her new found boundaries breaking down walls and becoming an agent of change.
Twitch is an extremely raw and honest memoir that pulls back the curtain on the impact of a life-changing progressive neurological condition. Annemarie spares no punches sharing the good with the bad. Her life has been upended yet she finds the sunny side and continues to use her exuberant personality for good. An inspirational story told with candour, warmth and wit, Twitch is a very poignant read, one I highly recommend to all.
Like many people I grab a copy of the Irish Examiner newspaper most weekends and jump straight to The Weekend section. Packed full with inspirational ideas from cultural events to fashion and lots more in-between, I take notes for future me to check out. Annmarie O’Connor has been a staple with the paper for years sharing her advice on what to wear at any given time and, most importantly, how to wear it. In any article that Annmarie would feature in herself, her natural glamour and sense of style oozed off the pages. The paper wasn’t Annmarie’s only role as she was known as the voice of women’s fashion across many media platforms.
Originally from America, Annmarie arrived to Ireland with her mother and siblings following the tragic death of her father. Settling in Galway on the west coast of Ireland, Annmarie developed her fashion sense over the years eventually making a career out of it and basing herself in Cork. When the pandemic struck in 2020 Annmarie had just packed her bags and moved from Cork to Dublin. Unable to work as before and struggling to find new accommodation she moved in with her sister. After a frustrating period of time, she made the decision to return to Cork to start over again but Annmarie’s life was about to change in unimaginable ways.
After an initial shoulder twinge, Annmarie went through various tests over a lengthy few months until, finally, in 2021 she was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease. I listened to the audiobook of Twitch which is read by Annmarie O’Connor and her ability to see the positive is awe-inspiring. She could have laid low and quietly retired into her own world but instead she decided to use her platform as a method of conveying to others her experiences and what she would like society to do. Carrying such a life-changing degenerative diagnosis is a life-sentence but Annmarie O’Connor is wasting no time working within her new found boundaries breaking down walls and becoming an agent of change.
Twitch is an extremely raw and honest memoir that pulls back the curtain on the impact of a life-changing progressive neurological condition. Annemarie spares no punches sharing the good with the bad. Her life has been upended yet she finds the sunny side and continues to use her exuberant personality for good. An inspirational story told with candour, warmth and wit, Twitch is a very poignant read, one I highly recommend to all.
November 3, 2025
The shock of being diagnosed at an early age with a life-altering illness is well described in Annmarie O'Connor's book and she seems to have an admirable positivity as she describes the way she has adapted to its many difficulties. I also took away a reassurance that there are a range of drugs and supports available now for Parkinson's. I hope she continues to have a happy and active life.
October 18, 2025
An informative & personal look at one person with early-onset Parkinson's. It's more emotional than clinical in its' focus, and so is good for those unfamiliar with the condition, as well as those of us with loved-ones with it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews