Kurt Eichenwald is known for his impeccable journalism and bestselling books on our country’s deepest financial conspiracies and threats to national security. But Eichenwald’s future success was jeopardized before his career even began by an epileptic seizure that left him confused and in pain during his freshman year of college. In addition to the medical incompetence he soon realized surrounded his diagnosis, Eichenwald quickly discovered that disclosing his condition opened a flood of discrimination threatening his education, his career, and even his safety. He made a torturous decision: he would keep his life-threatening struggle with epilepsy a secret so he could continue to pursue his dreams.

Now, Eichenwald opens up about his battle to keep an often incapacitating brain disorder hidden. In his forthcoming memoir, A Mind Unraveled, and his powerful talks, Eichenwald draws from his own vivid and painstakingly-kept records to take audiences through his early fear, denial, and search for treatment. Along the way, he raises important questions about the nature of memory, the wonders of brain science, and the profound mysteries of human perception. Faced with his mortality, Eichenwald transforms his trauma into a guiding motivation for reaching his dreams. Despite near-constant threats to his well-being, Eichenwald never gives up.

Speaking Topic

A Mind Unraveled
In this talk, award-winning journalist Kurt Eichenwald delves into the emotional journey of living with epilepsy, from the overwhelming discrimination and outright threats he received after making his diagnosis public to his continued search for treatment.  Eichenwald crafts a universal story of resilience out of the difficulties he endured and the medical mysteries he unraveled that will resonate with anyone who has struggled to overcome a life-changing challenge.

Praise for A Mind Unraveled

“A Mind Unraveled reads like a medical thriller, at times truly frightening but also deeply inspiring. This book will make me think differently as a doctor. Kurt Eichenwald is a tremendously talented writer. When you travel on his personal journey, it is pure gold.”—Sanjay Gupta, M.D., chief medical correspondent, CNN

“This book absolutely floored me. It’s a medical mystery unlike any I’ve read before, with a propulsive narrative. Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down.”—Bryan Burrough, New York Times-bestselling author of Barbarians at the Gate

“This powerful account provides an important blueprint for anyone struggling to overcome serious challenges.”—Katie Couric

“Kurt Eichenwald’s memoir is an immensely moving and captivating chronicle of his struggle with epilepsy. His unflinching descriptions of the extreme challenges of his condition have much to teach all of us about living. This is an extraordinary book.”—Harriet Lerner, Ph.D., New York Times-bestselling author of The Dance of Anger

“This is a very powerful, tremendously informative book. Pure emotional honesty has great impact, and that is what Kurt Eichenwald has provided here.”—James Fallows, National Book Award winner and national correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly

“A Mind Unraveled left me overwhelmed and speechless. Eichenwald’s story is breathtaking: devastation and inspiration all under one cover.”—Susan Axelrod, founder of CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy)

“A terrific memoir with a stinging critique of health care gone awry.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“With heart and bravery, Kurt Eichenwald has written a powerful memoir that is a must-read for anyone who has ever struggled with a debilitating condition. A Mind Unraveled is an important book, and one that ultimately affirms the strength of the human spirit.”—Dana Canedy, former national editor of the New York Times and winner of the Pulitzer Prize

“An enlightening and often moving memoir of one man’s struggle to live with a chronic and debilitating condition.”—Kirkus Reviews

“In this riveting personal narrative…Eichenwald has created a universal tale of resilience wrapped in a primal scream against the far-too-savage world. Book clubs will clamor for this tale of survival and call for compassion.”—Booklist (starred review)

 

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