Synopses & Reviews
Now in paperback, the ingenious illustrated memoir that is widely praised:
“Hilarious, hell-raising, and frequently heart-wrenching.” —Booklist
“[A] unique tragicomedy of a memoir . . . The author is so likable, even in her darkest hour, that as you applaud her recovery you also realize youll miss looking after her.” —Entertainment Weekly (“A” rating)
“Compelling reading . . . Becker has turned one persons experience into a universal story of family, healing, and the return to creativity.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“A wonderful book, funny and touching, harrowing and sweet.” —Anne Lamott, author of Bird by Bird
For years Suzy Becker, author of the New York Times bestseller All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat (1.7 million copies in print), literally lived by her wits. Then brain surgery left her temporarily unable to speak, read, or write. I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? is a story that grapples with the question “What makes me me?” By turns philosophical and whimsical, rivetingly dramatic and unexpectedly light, it is illustrated with drawings, charts, pseudoserious graphs, real EEGs. The result is a book filled with insights into creativity, identity, love, relationships, family, and that intangible something that gives each of us our spark.
Review
"To say that Becker...has a funny way of looking at things would be an understatement....Comically accompanied by keepsake notes, clippings, and her own inimitable cartoons, Becker's mirthful memoir should be required reading..." Carol Haggas, Booklist
Review
"Becker's deeply personal and surprisingly funny account intersperses text with such whimsical additions as Becker's 'Cardiac Exercise Tolerance' and kooky cartoons." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Illustrating her text with drawings, charts, newspaper clippings, wacky graphs, and a cartoon alter ego named Augusta, Becker has turned one person's experience into a universal story of family, healing, and the return to creativity. Highly recommended." Library Journal
Synopsis
For years Becker, author of the New York Times bestseller All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat, literally lived by her wits, but was also suffering seizures. An inspiring memoir, this is a story of identity told with wise, surprising humor.
Synopsis
For years Suzy Becker, author of the
New York Times bestseller
All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat (1.7 million copies in print), literally lived by her wits her imagination, intelligence, ideas, passion. During much of that time she was also suffering seizures. But they came secretly in the middle of the night, and were probably stress-related, or so one doctor said. Then a seizure (and a second opinion) led to a round of specialists, Cat scans, MRIs, and Suzy's worst fears come true brain surgery.
An inspiring memoir, I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? is a story of identity told with wise, surprising humor. It takes readers on a journey that's both metaphysical and whimsical; one that is by turns rivetingly dramatic and unexpectedly light. Illustrated with drawings, charts, newspaper clippings, silly graphs, and real EEGs and MRIs, I Had Brain Surgery... turns one artist's story into a universal book about creativity, family, healing, love, commitment, and that intangible something that gives each of us our spark.
About the Author
Suzy Becker is an author, artist, and entrepreneur. She received the Anti-Defamation League's "A World of Difference" Award for her community service initiatives, and was named New England Women Business Owners' youngest-ever Woman of the Year. She was a 1993-94 White House Fellow and a 1999-00 Bunting Fellow at Radcliffe. She lives in central Massachusetts.