Perspective

"Brain on Fire - My Month of Madness" by Susannah Cahalan is an autobiographical work that recounts the ordeal she endured after being afflicted with a rare autoimmune disease known by the technical name, anti-NMDAS-receptor encephalitis. In layman's terms, the condition caused her own antibodies to attack the receptors of her brain. As one doctor put it, her inflamed brain was on fire and her body was attacking her and apparently determined to destroy her.

During the majority of her stay at NYU's medical school hospital that totaled 28 days, Cahalan was paranoid and hallucinating. Her hallucinations were stored in her memory and she didn't have a clue about what really took place during most of that time. So, in order to write "Brain on Fire," Cahalan had to interview her parents, boyfriends, friends, co-workers and her doctors. She also kept daily logs some of which looked to her...