A Book Review: 100 Names for Love

I have to go to the library and find this book by Diane Ackerman, One Hundred Names for Love: a Stroke, a Marriage, and the Language of Healing. Here is a quotation from the book:

Working from home meant we could vary snack and coffee breaks, change our desks or view, goof off, drink on the job, even spend the day in pajamas, and often meet to gossip or share ideas. On the other hand, we bossed ourselves around, set impossible goals, and demanded longer hours than office jobs usually entail. It was the ultimate "flextime," in that it depended on how flexible we felt each day, given deadlines, distractions, and workaholic crescendos.

I went to the library and found the book. I took it home and started reading. It was fascinating. I couldn't put it down! I finished reading it in 3 days.

I recommend it to anyone who has a relative who experiences a stroke. The author's husband had a stroke at age 75 and this book chronicles his 5 year recovery. The famous neurologist, Oliver Sacs, visited them shortly after he returned home from the hospital. Dr. Sacs inquired as to what they were told about the "window of opportunity." The author said 3 months. Dr. Sacs informed her that the brain can continue to heal and learn new skills as long as it is challenged. The author decided to devise her own therapy to encourage her husband to recover his verbal faculties. The book shows how successful they were.

After I finished the book, I purchased a copy and sent it to a friend, whose husband had a stroke 3 weeks ago. Her husband is much younger, but has brain damage in some of the same areas. I encouraged her to read it, because it is optimistic in it's viewpoint, and also has resources in the last chapter.

I think this book deserves 5 stars.

The vocabulary is fantastic and I will write another blog and publish it in my other blog, musinglog.blogspot.com.