My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

On December 10, 1996, brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor, then thirty-seven years old and Harvard-trained, experienced a massive stroke in her left hemisphere. Over four hours, she watched her mind deteriorate until she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall her life. During this time, she alternated between the euphoria of her right brain—which produced feelings of complete well-being and peace—and her logical left brain, which recognized the stroke and enabled her to seek help. Taylor required eight years to fully recover. She describes her stroke as a blessing and revelation that taught her how accessing the right brain's perspective can uncover feelings of well-being often obscured by logical thought patterns. The book serves as both a recovery guide for those affected by brain injury and a personal account of her experience. Taylor has shared her insights through a talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and an appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series.