In 1994, while still in his early forties and only recently married, Faber & Faber editor Robert McCrum had a serious stroke which left him with left-sided paralysis, impaired speech, and emotional lability. This book tells the story of what his first year post-stroke was like, using a combination of present day reflection and extracts from the diaries he and wife Sarah kept. The result is a vivid, honest and powerful insight into a world that few of us know about, at least until it happens to us or a family member.
I found McCrum's heavy use of literary reference understandable (given his career) but nonetheless irritating, though both my irritation and his references diminished as the book progressed. This should be recommended reading for health care professionals in general, and those who work in stroke medicine in particular. - Alex
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