Rating: 
Summary: Humor from the Heart
Review: After reading this wonderful book, I feel constrained by the need to write this review using only words! Suzy Becker has found an extremely effective way of communicating by mixing graphical illustrations with words (or is it the reverse?) in order to convey meaning, humor, and introspection. This method allows an interesting and intensely personal story to be told in a way that always maintains lightness and readability. It would be easy to get bogged down relating an auto-biographical tale about brain surgery, the ensuing complications (which were career and identity threatening for Suzy), and an at-times stormy Lesbian relationship. But by adding copious quantities of humor, and larding the text with light-hearted graphical parodies of intense inner feelings, Suzy is able to keep both herself and the reader far above the maudlin realm. Most of the humor is context-sensitive and often unexpected - a small little cartoon or graph that just nails the irony in the current situation. I was continually chuckling and had many good belly-laughs while reading. At times it was frustrating, though - in order to show the jokes to my wife I kept needing to establish context. Finally, I gave up and just made sure that she would read it next after me!
Rating:
Summary: Laughed out loud
Review: An inspiring story, told with humor and panache. No one is spared the brunt of the author's jokes; her wit is directed at doctors, friends, family, and, perhaps most of all, herself. And ultimately, no one is left outside the author's warm embrace.
Rating:
Summary: She is amazing.
Review: As of this posting, I have not yet purchased or read Suzy's book, but I know her personally as my mentor and dear friend. Her life story is truly amazing, and I have no doubt that her brilliance, wit, and warmth will be evident in her remarkable story of resilience and her fabulous sense of humor about it all. As a Harvard senior who was fortunate to be paired with Suzy in the Radcliffe Mentor program, I feel so blessed to know her. After every meeting with her I am genuinely filled with awe and inspiration simply because she is an amazing woman with an amazing story. Yet, she remains so humble and so caring of others. I can't wait to read her book and encourage you to grab your copy right away.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: I absolutely love this book. I recently had brain surgery and I can relate in almost everyway. This book is taking a real sad, scary thing and making it laughable sometimes which is SO needed. Even if I didn't have surgery I would still love it.
Rating:
Summary: Becker's deep, funny, provocative and inspiring memoir
Review: I cried quietly. I laughed aloud. My head hurt. My heart ached. And I've had trouble putting down this nuanced and splendidly illustrated memoir chronicling Suzy Becker's recognition that her seizure-like "stress episodes" were caused by a tumor that required brain surgery, and her journey through preparation, surgery and recovery. An award-winning best selling author-illustrator, Becker was staggered to discover that her language skills had been "stolen" by the surgery. This innovative narrative of her quest for recovery is enriched with her cartoons, graphics and commentary revealing a complex array of responses. Her humor lets the reader look at her ordeal with some of the empathy she craved during the recovery; and her honesty lets us see the pain and courage of her fight to regain her self. I admire the boldness and beauty of this reflection, the penning of which she characterizes as her recovery.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: The story of Ms. Becker's brain surgery - from first symptoms through recovery, and so much in between - pulled me right in with her 'fly on the wall' perspective. And that she could find humor while living through this ordeal is simply amazing. This book is so well written, and the cartoons, journal entries, and other illustrations help bring the story to life in a truly unique way. I was sad to see that I only had a few pages to go at the end -- I just didn't want this book, and this story, to end.
Rating:
Summary: A truly unique reading experience
Review: This book surprised me in so many ways. Knowing the author's other works, I expected it to be witty and thoughtful, but I was surprised by the emotion I felt reading it, and by its amazing complexity. There is considerable humor in the book, but there is so much more. While I know this book will be of interest and inspiration to anyone who has had brain surgery or any kind of life-threatening illness or harrowing medical experience, I also believe that the story is so universal and accessible, as it charts the author's dealings with her doctors, her family, and her own physical and mental limits, that it will appeal to anyone who picks it up and starts to read it. I was sad when it was over, because I wanted it to go on and on. And then there is the incredible design of the book, composed of cartoons, charts, quotes, and various other types of illustration, all woven in smoothly with the text. It's a truly original artistic and literary work.
Rating:
Summary: A truly unique reading experience
Review: This book surprised me in so many ways. Knowing the author's other works, I expected it to be witty and thoughtful, but I was surprised by the emotion I felt reading it, and by its amazing complexity. There is considerable humor in the book, but there is so much more. While I know this book will be of interest and inspiration to anyone who has had brain surgery or any kind of life-threatening illness or harrowing medical experience, I also believe that the story is so universal and accessible, as it charts the author's dealings with her doctors, her family, and her own physical and mental limits, that it will appeal to anyone who picks it up and starts to read it. I was sad when it was over, because I wanted it to go on and on. And then there is the incredible design of the book, composed of cartoons, charts, quotes, and various other types of illustration, all woven in smoothly with the text. It's a truly original artistic and literary work.
Rating: 
Summary: Overachiever Digest
Review: This was recommended to me by Entertainment Magazine. It was a very quick read. I found it to be entertaining, but she has a very specific sense of humor. "Fey" as it is described in her book. I was not particularly impressed with the lesbian story line. Two such emotionally needy smart people were obviously doomed from the start and all of the "sweetie" and stories of holding each other in bed could not convince me otherwise. I just got really tired of her overachieving. This is a person who absolutely does not know how to relax. After a while it became frustrating listening to her drone on and on about her long bike race. She even finds a spot to mention that she visits an elderly lady at a nursing home periodically (not sure WHAT that added to the story). Yet she doesn't know her neighbors, see her doomed relationship, or know how to really truly recouperate, indulge in a hobby, and find time for just herself. I'm sorry she suffered, am glad she recovered, and hope she takes time in her life now to just enjoy it for what it is.
Rating:
Summary: Overachiever Digest
Review: This was recommended to me by Entertainment Magazine. It was a very quick read. I found it to be entertaining, but she has a very specific sense of humor. "Fey" as it is described in her book. I was not particularly impressed with the lesbian story line. Two such emotionally needy smart people were obviously doomed from the start and all of the "sweetie" and stories of holding each other in bed could not convince me otherwise. I just got really tired of her overachieving. This is a person who absolutely does not know how to relax. After a while it became frustrating listening to her drone on and on about her long bike race. She even finds a spot to mention that she visits an elderly lady at a nursing home periodically (not sure WHAT that added to the story). Yet she doesn't know her neighbors, see her doomed relationship, or know how to really truly recouperate, indulge in a hobby, and find time for just herself. I'm sorry she suffered, am glad she recovered, and hope she takes time in her life now to just enjoy it for what it is.
|
