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A Stitch of Time: The Year a Brain Injury Changed My Language and Life
For fans of Brain on Fire and My Stroke of Insight, an incredible first-person account of one woman’s journey to regaining her language and identity after a brain aneurysm affects her ability to communicate.
Lauren Marks was twenty-seven, touring a show in Scotland with her friends, when an aneurysm ruptured in her brain and left her fighting for her life. She woke up in a hospital soon after with serious deficiencies to her reading, speaking, and writing abilities, and an unfamiliar diagnosis: aphasia. This would be shocking news for anyone, but Lauren was a voracious reader, an actress, director, and dramaturg, and at the time of the event, pursuing her PhD. At any other period of her life, this diagnosis would have been a devastating blow. But she woke up...different. The way she perceived her environment and herself had profoundly changed, her entire identity seemed crafted around a language she could no longer access. She returned to her childhood home to recover, grappling with a muted inner monologue and fractured sense of self.
Soon after, Lauren began a journal, to chronicle her year following the rupture. A Stitch of Time is the remarkable result, an Oliver Sacks–like case study of a brain slowly piecing itself back together, featuring clinical research about aphasia and linguistics, interwoven with Lauren’s personal narrative and actual journal entries that marked her progress. Alternating between fascination and frustration, she relearns and re-experiences many of the things we take for granted—reading a book, understanding idioms, even sharing a “first kiss”—and begins to reconcile “The Girl I Used to Be” with “The Girl I Am Now.” Deeply personal and powerful, A Stitch of Time is an unforgettable journey of self-discovery, resilience, and hope.
Lauren Marks was twenty-seven, touring a show in Scotland with her friends, when an aneurysm ruptured in her brain and left her fighting for her life. She woke up in a hospital soon after with serious deficiencies to her reading, speaking, and writing abilities, and an unfamiliar diagnosis: aphasia. This would be shocking news for anyone, but Lauren was a voracious reader, an actress, director, and dramaturg, and at the time of the event, pursuing her PhD. At any other period of her life, this diagnosis would have been a devastating blow. But she woke up...different. The way she perceived her environment and herself had profoundly changed, her entire identity seemed crafted around a language she could no longer access. She returned to her childhood home to recover, grappling with a muted inner monologue and fractured sense of self.
Soon after, Lauren began a journal, to chronicle her year following the rupture. A Stitch of Time is the remarkable result, an Oliver Sacks–like case study of a brain slowly piecing itself back together, featuring clinical research about aphasia and linguistics, interwoven with Lauren’s personal narrative and actual journal entries that marked her progress. Alternating between fascination and frustration, she relearns and re-experiences many of the things we take for granted—reading a book, understanding idioms, even sharing a “first kiss”—and begins to reconcile “The Girl I Used to Be” with “The Girl I Am Now.” Deeply personal and powerful, A Stitch of Time is an unforgettable journey of self-discovery, resilience, and hope.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 17, 2018
There are not that many stories written by people with aphasia, which is why this book is such a gift. Sure, we can hack away at our textbooks, but without a first-person account, it is difficult to understand the disorder on a holistic level. Aphasia is an acquired communications disorder that impacts reading, writing, and verbal comprehension. It is most commonly caused by stroke, but aphasia can also be triggered by a brain injury, brain tumor, infection, or neurological disorder. In the case of Laurel Marks, she was only 27 when a hemorrhagic stroke altered the way she saw language. She was traveling with her friends in Scotland one day and fighting for her life in a hospital the next.
As an avid reader, Ph.D. student, and actress, Marks never thought she would one day deficient in language. But during her hospital stay, she picked up a book and was unable to recognize what all the signs and symbols scattered across the pages were. Her mind was also buzzing with an unfamiliar silence. She called it our “inner monologue” , the part of our brain that narrates our thoughts, emotions, and worries to us. I thought this was fascinating since I am one of those people who spends a lot of time in their head. While this is a blessing, it can also be a curse when I am doing my yoga or meditation practice. Channeling your inner subconscious zen is a lot more challenging when your inner monologue is narrating the 100 ways you can fail at life.
And as you can imagine, her recovery was a long, but inspiring process. Without her former language abilities, Marks started to appreciate the simple aspects of her life. Maybe her syntax, sentence structure, and grammar will never be the same, but the stroke forces her to slow down and reevaluate her life. Despite the personality changes she experiences, her family keeps comparing her to who she was before the stroke. To Marks, this person is a distant figure she only vaguely remembers. Despite the toll her aphasia took on her family, Marks is lucky to have people in her life who love her. Reading this book helped me realize the important connection between recovery and a strong social structure.
I am grateful Marks took the time to share her experiences with the world since we rarely hear from patients who have aphasia. While health professionals can understand the biological aspects of the disease, only a patient can give you a true and in-depth account of the illness. I hope her work will be a useful resource for others like it was for me.
As an avid reader, Ph.D. student, and actress, Marks never thought she would one day deficient in language. But during her hospital stay, she picked up a book and was unable to recognize what all the signs and symbols scattered across the pages were. Her mind was also buzzing with an unfamiliar silence. She called it our “inner monologue” , the part of our brain that narrates our thoughts, emotions, and worries to us. I thought this was fascinating since I am one of those people who spends a lot of time in their head. While this is a blessing, it can also be a curse when I am doing my yoga or meditation practice. Channeling your inner subconscious zen is a lot more challenging when your inner monologue is narrating the 100 ways you can fail at life.
And as you can imagine, her recovery was a long, but inspiring process. Without her former language abilities, Marks started to appreciate the simple aspects of her life. Maybe her syntax, sentence structure, and grammar will never be the same, but the stroke forces her to slow down and reevaluate her life. Despite the personality changes she experiences, her family keeps comparing her to who she was before the stroke. To Marks, this person is a distant figure she only vaguely remembers. Despite the toll her aphasia took on her family, Marks is lucky to have people in her life who love her. Reading this book helped me realize the important connection between recovery and a strong social structure.
I am grateful Marks took the time to share her experiences with the world since we rarely hear from patients who have aphasia. While health professionals can understand the biological aspects of the disease, only a patient can give you a true and in-depth account of the illness. I hope her work will be a useful resource for others like it was for me.
May 12, 2017
Please Note: I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.
When I was twenty-seven, my dad had a massive stroke, brought on by uncontrolled diabetes. Suddenly, he was a different person. He went from an outgoing, larger than life personality, to a quiet man who couldn't carry on a conversation. I have often wondered what he was thinking about during that time. Was he trapped in a body that couldn't respond, or was he truly a different person?
A Stitch Of Time, by Lauren Marks, is a fascinating first person account of a woman who survives a traumatic brain injury. As she is singing karaoke in a bar, she suffers from a massive brain aneurysm and her life is changed forever. This book covers a year in her recovery, and whether language creates thought or thought begets language.
What I Liked:
First-Hand Account:
I really appreciated the author's insight into what she was thinking during those first months of recovery. She recalls that there was very little panic or despair, at first. Just "The Quiet".
I also was absorbed by how Lauren was treated by her friends, family, and lover. Many of these people assumed that once she regained the use of language, she would be the same person. But much of what made Lauren's personality was altered. She had to assess what kind of person she had been and see how that meshed with who she was after this life-altering event.
Medical Jargon Explained:
The author went to great lengths to make sure the reader understood how the brain functions and what an aneurysm actually is. She also delved into how language is accessed by people diagnosed with aphasia, and how speech therapists worked with her to regain her use of language. This was confusing, at the beginning of the book. However, I think we are meant to be as bombarded with terms and ideas as Lauren was. It is only as she progresses that things make sense for both the narrator and the reader.
What I Was Mixed About:
Relationship With Her Lover:
I suppose that the author felt that chronicling her relationship with her on-again, off-again lover would be a good lynch-pin for the book. But I found much of it tedious, and indulgent. I didn't really want to know every detail of this courtship, and wonder how this other person must feel about the publication of this book.
What Didn't Like:
The author was an actress and teacher prior to having her aneurysm. She seems to credit her extensive literary background with part of her recovery. While she does show both arguments for and against the idea of language creating thought or thought creating language, I found some of her ideas to be elitist. Do people really need a master's degree to be great communicators and thinkers? She implies that her thoughts are certainly deeper due to her extensive education. Really? As someone who works with students, some of whom have difficulty accessing language, I was very put off by this.
When I was twenty-seven, my dad had a massive stroke, brought on by uncontrolled diabetes. Suddenly, he was a different person. He went from an outgoing, larger than life personality, to a quiet man who couldn't carry on a conversation. I have often wondered what he was thinking about during that time. Was he trapped in a body that couldn't respond, or was he truly a different person?
A Stitch Of Time, by Lauren Marks, is a fascinating first person account of a woman who survives a traumatic brain injury. As she is singing karaoke in a bar, she suffers from a massive brain aneurysm and her life is changed forever. This book covers a year in her recovery, and whether language creates thought or thought begets language.
What I Liked:
First-Hand Account:
I really appreciated the author's insight into what she was thinking during those first months of recovery. She recalls that there was very little panic or despair, at first. Just "The Quiet".
I also was absorbed by how Lauren was treated by her friends, family, and lover. Many of these people assumed that once she regained the use of language, she would be the same person. But much of what made Lauren's personality was altered. She had to assess what kind of person she had been and see how that meshed with who she was after this life-altering event.
Medical Jargon Explained:
The author went to great lengths to make sure the reader understood how the brain functions and what an aneurysm actually is. She also delved into how language is accessed by people diagnosed with aphasia, and how speech therapists worked with her to regain her use of language. This was confusing, at the beginning of the book. However, I think we are meant to be as bombarded with terms and ideas as Lauren was. It is only as she progresses that things make sense for both the narrator and the reader.
What I Was Mixed About:
Relationship With Her Lover:
I suppose that the author felt that chronicling her relationship with her on-again, off-again lover would be a good lynch-pin for the book. But I found much of it tedious, and indulgent. I didn't really want to know every detail of this courtship, and wonder how this other person must feel about the publication of this book.
What Didn't Like:
The author was an actress and teacher prior to having her aneurysm. She seems to credit her extensive literary background with part of her recovery. While she does show both arguments for and against the idea of language creating thought or thought creating language, I found some of her ideas to be elitist. Do people really need a master's degree to be great communicators and thinkers? She implies that her thoughts are certainly deeper due to her extensive education. Really? As someone who works with students, some of whom have difficulty accessing language, I was very put off by this.
September 19, 2017
This is not the book I was hoping to read. I was taken by Ms. Marks description of The Quiet she experienced in the early weeks after experiencing an aneurysm at 27, but as she moved to writing less about recovering from aphasia and more about her challenging love life and her brother's stormy relationship, I lost interest. Two stars seems a bit harsh, but that stands for "it was OK" which seems about right.
May 9, 2017
Thank You to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of Lauren Marks' memoir, A Stitch of Time: The Year a Brain Injury Changed My Language and Life, in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT- Lauren Marks is just twenty-seven years old, when she suffers a brain aneurysm while karaoking at a dive bar with friends in Edinburgh. She is rushed to a hospital in Scotland and her parents catch the first flight from California to be with her, unsure if she will survive the emergency operation. Marks does survive, and in A Stitch of Time, she chronicles her recovery. Until her aneurysm, Marks was an actress and writer, her keen ability with language was a huge part of her personality. Post aneurysm, Marks has Aphasia, making it difficult for her to understand or express herself through language. Through rehabilitation, Marks is able to recover her use of language, but her life and dreams are forever altered.
LIKE -Early on in her rehabilitation, Marks had the foresight to keep a journal and document her progress. Some of what she writes is incoherent and it's rampant with misspellings, however, it offers a glimpse into the way her brain has been affected by Aphasia, and it's clear that through hard work, she has regained much of her language abilities.
I was shocked when she mentioned that many doctors think that a patient has six months maximum after their accident, to regain their language, and after that time, they likely won't have significant progress. Marks is proof that this time marker doesn't mean much. As she mentions, and I'm inclined to believe, the six months seems to be more in line with money and insurance payments, rather than what is best for the patient. It hurt my heart to read about Marks' struggle with getting her insurance company to approve her much needed therapy and also that she was left saddled with debt. She doesn't mention this in great detail, but enough to have that heavy reminder of our broken health care system.
I think this might be the first memoir I've read regarding brain aneurysms and Aphasia. I have been the care-taker for family members with dementia, which while not the same thing that Marks experienced, it did leave me interested in the subject of brain injuries and how the brain works. Marks does a wonderful job at explaining scientific and medical terminology in a way that makes it accessible for any reader. She also does a great job at blending the medical world with her personal life, giving her memoir balance.
When she had her aneurysm, Marks had to leave her life in NYC, where she about to start teaching, to move back home with her parents in California. She was essentially stripped of the direction her life was heading, and even when she began to recover enough to resume elements of her former life, her goals had changed. Many of her friends were getting married, having children, and seeing their careers take-off. Late twenties is a pivotal time for many people and Marks was forced to take a step back. I appreciated her calm perspective and the way she took this change in stride, even as she noted what she was missing out on.
DISLIKE- Nothing. A Stitch of Time is fascinating and affecting.
RECOMMEND- Absolutely. I know several people who have family members with brain injuries and I know that, A Stitch of Time, would be an informative read, but really, this is a fascinating topic for anyone. It would also be a good choice for anyone who is experiencing a major life-change or set-back and needs a dose of inspiration. Marks' story is inspirational.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
PLOT- Lauren Marks is just twenty-seven years old, when she suffers a brain aneurysm while karaoking at a dive bar with friends in Edinburgh. She is rushed to a hospital in Scotland and her parents catch the first flight from California to be with her, unsure if she will survive the emergency operation. Marks does survive, and in A Stitch of Time, she chronicles her recovery. Until her aneurysm, Marks was an actress and writer, her keen ability with language was a huge part of her personality. Post aneurysm, Marks has Aphasia, making it difficult for her to understand or express herself through language. Through rehabilitation, Marks is able to recover her use of language, but her life and dreams are forever altered.
LIKE -Early on in her rehabilitation, Marks had the foresight to keep a journal and document her progress. Some of what she writes is incoherent and it's rampant with misspellings, however, it offers a glimpse into the way her brain has been affected by Aphasia, and it's clear that through hard work, she has regained much of her language abilities.
I was shocked when she mentioned that many doctors think that a patient has six months maximum after their accident, to regain their language, and after that time, they likely won't have significant progress. Marks is proof that this time marker doesn't mean much. As she mentions, and I'm inclined to believe, the six months seems to be more in line with money and insurance payments, rather than what is best for the patient. It hurt my heart to read about Marks' struggle with getting her insurance company to approve her much needed therapy and also that she was left saddled with debt. She doesn't mention this in great detail, but enough to have that heavy reminder of our broken health care system.
I think this might be the first memoir I've read regarding brain aneurysms and Aphasia. I have been the care-taker for family members with dementia, which while not the same thing that Marks experienced, it did leave me interested in the subject of brain injuries and how the brain works. Marks does a wonderful job at explaining scientific and medical terminology in a way that makes it accessible for any reader. She also does a great job at blending the medical world with her personal life, giving her memoir balance.
When she had her aneurysm, Marks had to leave her life in NYC, where she about to start teaching, to move back home with her parents in California. She was essentially stripped of the direction her life was heading, and even when she began to recover enough to resume elements of her former life, her goals had changed. Many of her friends were getting married, having children, and seeing their careers take-off. Late twenties is a pivotal time for many people and Marks was forced to take a step back. I appreciated her calm perspective and the way she took this change in stride, even as she noted what she was missing out on.
DISLIKE- Nothing. A Stitch of Time is fascinating and affecting.
RECOMMEND- Absolutely. I know several people who have family members with brain injuries and I know that, A Stitch of Time, would be an informative read, but really, this is a fascinating topic for anyone. It would also be a good choice for anyone who is experiencing a major life-change or set-back and needs a dose of inspiration. Marks' story is inspirational.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
January 25, 2017
This is a subject that I find so fascinating, the brain, how it works and how it mends after trauma. I have previously read Brain on Fire and My Labotomy: A Memoir by Howard Dully and just now finished A Stitch of Time. Not only did this book provide a lot of scientific information about the brain, research provided and presented by experts and doctors who have been intimately involved with brain study, but it also gives Lauren's insight after suffering the effects of a brain aneurysm.
A Stitch of Time is also a personal story about Lauren's year of recovery after her brain aneurysm, it includes details on her family, friends and boyfriend (at the time) and general relationships (doctors, therapist, previous professors, the general public, etc). Lauren is a remarkable storyteller, and I have to applaud her on her first book.
Lauren's presentation of scientific facts is very well done, she never lost me. Often times when reading scientific information I can be overwhelmed when writers get too technical, she kept this in check. I loved the way she explained experiencing "the Quiet". My mind is always at a chatter, so to experience this is hard to imagine, but I GOT IT from her detailed description. One of the other thought provoking points I took away from this book was the question..... "As humans, do we need language to have thoughts?" This question is so powerful. My first reaction is... Of Course! But then again....wait... maybe not. It is one of those...If a tree falls in the forest, does it make sound if no one is there to hear it?
Highly recommend, I'll keep her on my radar for future books!
A Stitch of Time is also a personal story about Lauren's year of recovery after her brain aneurysm, it includes details on her family, friends and boyfriend (at the time) and general relationships (doctors, therapist, previous professors, the general public, etc). Lauren is a remarkable storyteller, and I have to applaud her on her first book.
Lauren's presentation of scientific facts is very well done, she never lost me. Often times when reading scientific information I can be overwhelmed when writers get too technical, she kept this in check. I loved the way she explained experiencing "the Quiet". My mind is always at a chatter, so to experience this is hard to imagine, but I GOT IT from her detailed description. One of the other thought provoking points I took away from this book was the question..... "As humans, do we need language to have thoughts?" This question is so powerful. My first reaction is... Of Course! But then again....wait... maybe not. It is one of those...If a tree falls in the forest, does it make sound if no one is there to hear it?
Highly recommend, I'll keep her on my radar for future books!
June 19, 2018
This book started off really strong. Lots of great insight into the acute stage of aphasia, processing what it means, and how intrinsically language and identity are tied to get (props to Barbara Shadden are neglected by the author). However at about the halfway mark it just gets stale. A lot of the authors remarks about her recovery stem from her pursuing a PhD and having an extensive literary background. This is elitist and if idea the basic principles of neuroplasticity. The author frequently reference faith and her loss of it and plays it off as important to her rediscovering her identity, but it often becomes a coverup for her to bash religion (spirituality vs. religion). Ultimately, it’s a moderately interesting read through the acute stages of aphasia followed that loses momentum after rehab.
February 19, 2017
This is the perfect book for anyone in or interested in the medical field especially speech language pathology as it gives a very deep and detailed look at how important language is and how a brain injury can change it so dramatically.
I would highly recommend this for a change of perspective to a patient's point of view.
The biggest question I asked myself while reading this was "if I could no longer read or speak adequately enough for communication, what would I do?"
I would highly recommend this for a change of perspective to a patient's point of view.
The biggest question I asked myself while reading this was "if I could no longer read or speak adequately enough for communication, what would I do?"
October 14, 2024
A book club review:
A Stitch of Time is a must-read for aspiring Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), offering a rare, deeply personal window into the world of aphasia recovery. Marks’ journey provides invaluable insight into the experiences of those affected by speech and language impairments, making it an essential read for professionals in this field who aim to better understand their patients' struggles and triumphs.
The book is equally important for individuals currently going through aphasia and their families and friends. It serves not only as a guide but as a source of comfort, helping loved ones understand the emotional, cognitive, and social aspects of recovery. Her honesty resonates deeply, and readers can trust that this account comes from a place of raw vulnerability.
One of the book's most eye-opening qualities is how Marks immerses the reader in her mind, showing the day-to-day realities of living with a drastically altered sense of communication. The way she describes the “quiet” of her post-stroke world, where language and thought processes feel disjointed, gives the reader a visceral sense of the disorientation that accompanies aphasia.
The use of journal entries throughout the book is a particularly effective element. It shows Marks’ progression in real-time, giving readers access to her raw thoughts, initial confusion, and growing self-awareness. This structure allows us to witness her transformation firsthand, from the early fog of recovery to regaining a sense of her identity. The journal entries offer an unfiltered, authentic voice that enhances the emotional depth of the narrative.
Overall, A Stitch of Time is an honest and immersive read that captures the intricacies of a mind relearning language, while also providing hope and understanding. It’s not just a story of recovery but a testament to the human spirit’s resilience and the importance of communication in shaping our sense of self.
A Stitch of Time is a must-read for aspiring Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), offering a rare, deeply personal window into the world of aphasia recovery. Marks’ journey provides invaluable insight into the experiences of those affected by speech and language impairments, making it an essential read for professionals in this field who aim to better understand their patients' struggles and triumphs.
The book is equally important for individuals currently going through aphasia and their families and friends. It serves not only as a guide but as a source of comfort, helping loved ones understand the emotional, cognitive, and social aspects of recovery. Her honesty resonates deeply, and readers can trust that this account comes from a place of raw vulnerability.
One of the book's most eye-opening qualities is how Marks immerses the reader in her mind, showing the day-to-day realities of living with a drastically altered sense of communication. The way she describes the “quiet” of her post-stroke world, where language and thought processes feel disjointed, gives the reader a visceral sense of the disorientation that accompanies aphasia.
The use of journal entries throughout the book is a particularly effective element. It shows Marks’ progression in real-time, giving readers access to her raw thoughts, initial confusion, and growing self-awareness. This structure allows us to witness her transformation firsthand, from the early fog of recovery to regaining a sense of her identity. The journal entries offer an unfiltered, authentic voice that enhances the emotional depth of the narrative.
Overall, A Stitch of Time is an honest and immersive read that captures the intricacies of a mind relearning language, while also providing hope and understanding. It’s not just a story of recovery but a testament to the human spirit’s resilience and the importance of communication in shaping our sense of self.
May 21, 2018
This is more of a response to other critiques than a review: I find the complaint “the author seemed really self absorbed” to be really odd, considering the book is a memoir. And, not only is it a memoir, but it’s a memoir where the author says that imagining the emotions/inner lives of others during the beginning stages of aphasia was very difficult to do. So, when people say “she comes off as self absorbed” to me it comes off as “I just spend my time reading something, annoyed that the author didn’t relate to the audience about something she specifically says she has trouble with due to the subject of the memoir.” Shrug. The book was interesting, and I would recommend it to people with previous interests in neuroscience, those who are experiencing brain related trauma in their family/friend group, or memoir buffs.
July 11, 2017
My husband suffered a brain aneurysm rupture in February 2006. It was incredible reading the author's experience of her rupture and comparing it to what I saw/felt/experienced during my husband's "after-rupture" period and can only imagine comparing that to what he felt at the same time. Even 10 years later, it's still interesting to hear about improvements the author continues to make and how her outlook of the rupture seemed to dictate her healing progress. Fascinating read.
Read
April 12, 2019I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I thought maybe I was judging it too harshly so I waited a few weeks before saying anything about it. Turns out my feelings haven’t changed.
I did like the basic premise and I was interested in the medical part of this story. The rest felt indulgent and (I say this tentatively and not without empathy) the author came across as pretty self-absorbed.
Overall, it’s just interesting enough to keep your attention and a fairly quick read.
I did like the basic premise and I was interested in the medical part of this story. The rest felt indulgent and (I say this tentatively and not without empathy) the author came across as pretty self-absorbed.
Overall, it’s just interesting enough to keep your attention and a fairly quick read.
October 25, 2019
this truly remarkable insight into this lady’s recovery process after a brain injury. This really was such an interesting book which Lauren explains all different aspects of what actually happened to her and how she had to have a speech therapist to help her find her voice again. This is one fascinating medical journal
Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the arc xx
Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the arc xx
September 2, 2022
This is a good read if you’re interested in aphasia or really the concept of language in general.
It provided a much more wholistic picture of the disorder than what I’ve learned from textbooks, in that the author was describing her own experience with it.
If any of my SLP friends want to borrow it, let me know:’)
It provided a much more wholistic picture of the disorder than what I’ve learned from textbooks, in that the author was describing her own experience with it.
If any of my SLP friends want to borrow it, let me know:’)
February 21, 2018
This was an interesting journey with Lauren Marks who was 27 when she suffered her first of two brain aneurysms ( the second one did not rupture)! The fact that she survived one rupture and two surgeries is a miracle. Lauren tells her story, sharing her relationships, progress, and setbacks along the course of her first year, as well as an epilogue. Some readers didn’t care especially for her relationship with her boyfriend or her brother, and found her personality to be unemotional. I found her stark differences between who she was before and after her aneurysm to be fascinating. I don’t think she particularly tried to make herself “look good.” I think she just told her story as she and her family and friends saw it. Lauren provides a lot of medical information as well. This book made me truly appreciate the human brain and the role of language in our internal dialogue. I received this ARC through Goodreads. Read it in record time (two days) back and forth on a plane. Thank you Goodreads and Lauren Marks.
March 12, 2022
I read this for an assignment in my neuro class. A very thought-provoking perspective on aphasia and enjoyable read!
November 18, 2022
Audiobook: well written glimpse inside an aneurysm survivor.
May 22, 2024
It is much more than a simple recounting of a year in the life. The book is quite detailed and covers a broad range of topics. There are flashbacks to provide context to 'the year'. There are side bars to provide definitions and more in depth discussion of physiology, pathophysiology, treatment and recovery of aneurysms.
December 23, 2020
Fine but the book is less interesting than the subject.
January 26, 2017
Imagine that you're twenty seven, off to a promising career in writing and in acting, and you've just started pursuing a graduate degree. Everything is moving right along and your future is rosy. Then, a brain aneurysm causes a stroke. While this could very well have been fatal, luck is on your side and you are rushed to a world class hospital where you receive care that not only saves your life, but leaves you with a real possibility of recovering much of your health and faculties.
This happened to Lauren Marks in 2007 and she tells the gripping story of how she coped with the complete loss of language, followed by a lengthy process of learning how to speak, read, and write again. This was fascinating on the practical level as we learn what neurologists and therapists can and can't do. And it's pretty interesting on a more personal level, as Marks slowly realizes how much of her own personality is made up of memories and understanding non-verbal cues. In addition to learning language again, she finds she has to learn about her relatives and friends, even her boyfriend. It's poignant, and funny, when she learns how to kiss again.
It's a revealing and optimistic account, and I do wish there had been a little more on the study of language learning and brain science in general, but it's still an enthusiastic recommend.
This happened to Lauren Marks in 2007 and she tells the gripping story of how she coped with the complete loss of language, followed by a lengthy process of learning how to speak, read, and write again. This was fascinating on the practical level as we learn what neurologists and therapists can and can't do. And it's pretty interesting on a more personal level, as Marks slowly realizes how much of her own personality is made up of memories and understanding non-verbal cues. In addition to learning language again, she finds she has to learn about her relatives and friends, even her boyfriend. It's poignant, and funny, when she learns how to kiss again.
It's a revealing and optimistic account, and I do wish there had been a little more on the study of language learning and brain science in general, but it's still an enthusiastic recommend.
September 19, 2017
Much of Ms Marks story of her recovery from a brain aneurysm at the age of 27, her struggle with regaining the use of language and her search of her own interior world minus language was fascinating. Her research into medical procedures used in her and others recovery was impressive. However Jonah became a bore early and remained so through too much of the book. Why was he necessary? Maybe Marks thought a romance would broaden her books appeal?? Bad choice. And we learn more about her friends lives than was necessary to the description of her recovery. Maybe some of the irrelevancies can be attributed to her injury?
Read
November 20, 2016Fascinating work examining one person's experience in recovering her language skills after a brain aneurysm ruptures. Marks not only describes what happened to her, but she uses this event to better understand how the brain processes language. One thing she passes along is that the damage done by an aneurysm is very individual and will affect everyone differently, even when it takes place in the same part of the brain. Really interesting for those who love a good medical memoir.
August 17, 2017
I would give it 3.5 stars if I could. I enjoyed the book and learning about aphasia and the authors recovery. It reminded me of an Oliver Sacks book. But I'm not sure I was a fan of the author herself.
June 27, 2018
It started out with a bang and ended with a whimper.
May 11, 2021
"I started to let myself believe that I could be a writer and an aphasic, and that didn't have to be an oxymoron -- not really -- because people never excelled at anything until they'd failed at it for a very, very long time." Lauren Marks reveals this in the middle of "A Stitch of Time: The Year a Brain Injury Changed My Language and Life." Marks' story is important because she addresses the physical issues regarding a ruptured brain aneurysm and her own struggle with aphasia. That's the point where many successful personal narratives end, and they ARE, indeed, very fine. What I appreciated about this particular story is how Marks addresses how her rupture affected every part of her life. Relationships, therapy, self-awareness, personal goals, the best moments of triumph coupled with the lowest moments of frustration, and so many other life moments are captured here. Myself a brain aneurysm survivor, I cheered her on numerous times as I listened to her story and recognized many similarities and admired her creative solutions. Like me, she never asked for this journey yet found herself traveling along with strange new baggage. Even more cheers for her.
We are in the midst of the 21st Century when so many contradictions already exist in our world; it is no wonder that we have seeming contradictions within ourselves, too. Add the fact that survivors of any brain injury are still few and rare because we are fortunate in making it through physical-emotional-mental crises that end others' lives immediately or through a wearing-down aftermath. Read this first because of Marks' obstinacy and innovative life and approaches. Read this second because we now need to understand the potential within all of us as we continue to encounter each trial and contradiction of this new world. Perhaps you'll bring a different reason for opening and then reading this memoir. No matter which reasons apply to you, be sure to read this.
We are in the midst of the 21st Century when so many contradictions already exist in our world; it is no wonder that we have seeming contradictions within ourselves, too. Add the fact that survivors of any brain injury are still few and rare because we are fortunate in making it through physical-emotional-mental crises that end others' lives immediately or through a wearing-down aftermath. Read this first because of Marks' obstinacy and innovative life and approaches. Read this second because we now need to understand the potential within all of us as we continue to encounter each trial and contradiction of this new world. Perhaps you'll bring a different reason for opening and then reading this memoir. No matter which reasons apply to you, be sure to read this.
June 2, 2017
I picked this book up on my library's new release shelf, brain injuries and the cover caught my eye. I'm interested in brain injuries for personal reasons and also from an academic perspective too. That said I gave it a three for several reasons 1) there was a quite a bit of cussing, a few words, okay but there were a lot and the author really liked the F word 2) there was a lot of stuff about her on again, off again boyfriend at the time and also a past serious boyfriend - a bit too much for my liking and it didn't really add to the overall story of her recovery journey 3) she explores her lack of faith but seems very resistant to anything remotely resembling her Catholic upbringing or Christianity - she's not hostile but one can tell she tries to forget the way she was brought up, and 4) she seems to think the reason why she made such great strides in her language recovery was because she was a Ph.D. student and came from a long literary background, almost sounding as if she's better than others who may not have had that background.
Overall, though I liked the book and the details in regards to her recovery journey, even her going back to the bar, which is different and owned by someone else, to visit where the event happened. Not many of us would want to visit the place where something so profound and affecting the rest of our lives. I know personally, I couldn't get out of the house where my husband passed away quick enough. Her journal entries added to the overall journey showing where she was at the beginning to where she is now and while not completely 100% recovered she is better than where she was. It was a fascinating book and I'll more than likely be searching out the other resources she listed as I continue on in my educational journey.
Overall, though I liked the book and the details in regards to her recovery journey, even her going back to the bar, which is different and owned by someone else, to visit where the event happened. Not many of us would want to visit the place where something so profound and affecting the rest of our lives. I know personally, I couldn't get out of the house where my husband passed away quick enough. Her journal entries added to the overall journey showing where she was at the beginning to where she is now and while not completely 100% recovered she is better than where she was. It was a fascinating book and I'll more than likely be searching out the other resources she listed as I continue on in my educational journey.
April 15, 2023
Excellent.
I do think I wouldn't have liked this as much if I were to have read it. IDK... The pace/rhythm of the narrator definitely tipped the balance for me. She knows when to exhale, when to crack her voice and so on. She clearly as a good dominion of her instrument.
The book is quite interesting. I liked how Marks mixed with science and how she tried to make sense of her situation. Of course, as someone who hasn't had aphasia is impossible for me to even imagine what she went through. Her descriptions almost sound incoherent, but they're not. There just really hard to picture. How does it even "look like" to not have the internal monologue going on? I think I would find it extremely lonely considering how much I personally like to ruminate things.
I felt moved when she mentioned her feeling of betrayal (?) when her father (and later on her friend) made public her diagnosis. This type of situations is so difficult to understand and make sense... and well-intendedly people often misstep on how to handle it. How she navigated her emotions was interesting as well. Was she even a reliable narrator when she was trying to recollect them? Did she really remember what she was feeling at the moment? It's very clear that not quite.
Her comments on how language is connected with emotions and her points about the Sapir-Whorf had me thinking a little bit. I definitely need to chew upon this.
I do think I wouldn't have liked this as much if I were to have read it. IDK... The pace/rhythm of the narrator definitely tipped the balance for me. She knows when to exhale, when to crack her voice and so on. She clearly as a good dominion of her instrument.
The book is quite interesting. I liked how Marks mixed with science and how she tried to make sense of her situation. Of course, as someone who hasn't had aphasia is impossible for me to even imagine what she went through. Her descriptions almost sound incoherent, but they're not. There just really hard to picture. How does it even "look like" to not have the internal monologue going on? I think I would find it extremely lonely considering how much I personally like to ruminate things.
I felt moved when she mentioned her feeling of betrayal (?) when her father (and later on her friend) made public her diagnosis. This type of situations is so difficult to understand and make sense... and well-intendedly people often misstep on how to handle it. How she navigated her emotions was interesting as well. Was she even a reliable narrator when she was trying to recollect them? Did she really remember what she was feeling at the moment? It's very clear that not quite.
Her comments on how language is connected with emotions and her points about the Sapir-Whorf had me thinking a little bit. I definitely need to chew upon this.
March 22, 2018
One of those fortuitous finds: a couple of months after an old friend suffered a stroke and developed aphasia, I stumbled upon this in a secondhand bookshop. It's written by a woman who, at the age of 26, went through the same thing. The book is about what happened to her, what she suffered and what she regained.
I was hoping to read something that gave me insight into what the author experienced, how they adjusted and how and to what extent they recovered. I began to get that, but the book then began to veer more and more into the author's personal experiences, her relationships with friends, partners, parents and her development as a person. At first I found this a but off-putting but soon I appreciated it. There is no one set of symptoms that define a stroke and there is no one thing which is called aphasia: every person has a different experience and this book is hers, based on a unique combination of who she is, everything about her circumstances and what happened in her brain. The result is not a book about aphasia but about *her* aphasia. Paradoxically, in learning about her story we gain insight into the stories of others, not through a listing of symptoms and treatments, but through understanding the kinds of experiences that others may go through, even though the details will all be different. Well worth a read.
I was hoping to read something that gave me insight into what the author experienced, how they adjusted and how and to what extent they recovered. I began to get that, but the book then began to veer more and more into the author's personal experiences, her relationships with friends, partners, parents and her development as a person. At first I found this a but off-putting but soon I appreciated it. There is no one set of symptoms that define a stroke and there is no one thing which is called aphasia: every person has a different experience and this book is hers, based on a unique combination of who she is, everything about her circumstances and what happened in her brain. The result is not a book about aphasia but about *her* aphasia. Paradoxically, in learning about her story we gain insight into the stories of others, not through a listing of symptoms and treatments, but through understanding the kinds of experiences that others may go through, even though the details will all be different. Well worth a read.
May 6, 2019
This is a beautifully-written story regarding how a thriving student went down after an aneurysm rupture. She developed aphasia, affecting her language, though you wouldn’t know it now from how eloquently this book is written. I believe her perspective is important— to understand how someone with this condition may want to be treated, and even if they feel like they need help. She expresses that she enjoyed The Quiet she experienced in her head, and she was not going to go back to being the person everyone thought she was. Much of her had changed, both for better and worse. That is life.
My main complaint is that she spoke so much of Jonah, who was by her side loving her through all this, and had changed much himself, but the way she wrote it made her sound like she didn’t care at all that they didn’t end up married. She was just like “oh yeah I guess I’m gonna live across the country from you now” and then grew apart. She didn’t seem to acknowledge how much he had waited and given up for her. And then she talks about her current husband for just one paragraph. I suppose it’s real life, but it was less than heart-warming.
My main complaint is that she spoke so much of Jonah, who was by her side loving her through all this, and had changed much himself, but the way she wrote it made her sound like she didn’t care at all that they didn’t end up married. She was just like “oh yeah I guess I’m gonna live across the country from you now” and then grew apart. She didn’t seem to acknowledge how much he had waited and given up for her. And then she talks about her current husband for just one paragraph. I suppose it’s real life, but it was less than heart-warming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2019
3.5 stars. I heard Lauren Marks on the Allusionist podcast talking about her experience with aphasia following the rupture of an aneurysm when she was 27 years old. I was completely fascinated by her story -- the specific experience of her aphasia and its implications for language and cognition, such as how her loss of an inner monologue smoothed out anxiety, impacted her ability to plan, and led to a peaceful sense of connection to all around her that she calls the Quiet. While I did get more detail in the book on those parts that had most interested me from the podcast, the main points had already been covered (which won't be a problem for anyone who hasn't listened to it already). There was a LOT of information on her general life in the book (e.g., details on her relationships with her family and her on-again/off-again boyfriend) that I was much less interested in apart from when it more closely related to her recovery, so I really skimmed the last half of the book. But for anyone who hasn't already listened to that podcast episode, there would be a lot of interest to read here.
June 24, 2017
This book was a really fascinating look at language in the aftermath of a stroke. The author explores how brain trauma affected her ability to read, write, and process language - including reading emotional language from others and listening to her own inner voice. She notes that, without language, there effectively is no past or future, only now. She discusses the theory that language changes behavior, which made me think of another interesting book - a fiction piece called The List by Patricia Forde which is about limiting violence and uprising by limiting the number of words people are allowed to use. Both works are recommended reading.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book.
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