Epilepsy Unveiled and Song of the Magdalene, Your Year End Recommendations

A very special post for Epilepsy Unveiled.


Epilepsy Unveiled is a site dedicated to seizures, care taking, psychosis, and brain injuries,  -and surgery- among other things. 

A brand new book as come out, with the eponymous title of Epilepsy Unveiled. 
The last chapter is a letter written by the hero, one Charley. Charley discusses, among other things, what it's like to have an aura and a seizure. Far more poetic than many.

 For example, I tend to describe them in profanity, not excluding French profanity. I like a word such as "Merde!" as it can be understood in any language! 

I recommend Epilepsy Unveiled to patients and caregivers.

The site has other helpful topics, such as choosing surgery, on making goals, postictal psychosis- a distressing time, as you've been sick, and already had to stand outside yourself, and now, for example, if someone pops bubble gum, you're inclined to slug them.
(DO NOT SLUG PEOPLE.)

Please do check out Epilepsy Unveiled (Book, Amazon link.)

Now, if you're a fan of historical fiction, rather than partial memoir, I also recommend Song of the Magdalene.

Be blessed and joyful... here's to 2015! Na zadrowie! 

Scarf by: Dezeen Dot Com, Alchemy silk scarf by Cristian Zununaga

Memoirs from Tralfamadore

When I was a child, if you'd asked me what I thought heaven was like, I would have given you a description of people living in small glass apartments with 1950s and 60s appliances- avocado and sunburst, I think they're coming back! With radios and a rabbit -ear television. Heaven supports the aluminium industry.
 There were lush plants too... but I was limited in speech and everyone kept staring at me.

I realized what I was describing, other than the sex and the aliens, unless somehow, we're really the aliens- and sometimes, I wouldn't fight you on that- when I first read Slaughterhouse 5 and got to Billy Pilgrim's adventures on Tralfamadore.

So, at 4, I was either psychic and describing a book I hadn't yet read, psychic and describing neo- 60s minimalist decor,  or... I've been to Tralfamadore. Or... I'm just a colorful dreamer.

Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness

Note: I received my copy of Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness from the writer, Bruce Brown. I am honored and grateful and consider both Bruce and "The Kingdom of Madness"  to be precious gifts. 

The capable Thomas  Boatwright  endears and terrifies with his beautiful, glossy illustrations.

"The Kingdom of Madness" opens with our hero, Howard, and the childlike adults who make little Howard seem like the only grown up and voice of reason. 

It opens with an apt, disturbing quote from Edgar Allen Poe:

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dreamed before".-Original Source: "The Raven".

And we see a scaly arm, an annoyed, well- dressed little boy. 

Then, we see a vintage plane (To US, anyway), carrying Howard, his sickly, insane father, apparently on their way to meet a doctor. Spot-aka- Cthulhu, aka- Hu Hu Hmong, acts every inch the excited, tentaclly puppy, while the child of the group expresses doubt. This is normal for Howard and Spot, up to and including Howard's capable act as a loving, but strict father figure who has to occasionally lay down the law.

Having read HP Lovecraft's "Complete Works", I find what amounts to a prequel to Lovecraft-the Grown-Up, Not-Fictional-Character's  disturbed and disturbing, wonderful but not for children'- 's works extremely beautiful. It's a cuddlier side of everyone, including Lovecraft, whose views of race make the "enlightened" of the 21st Century choke. It's beautiful. I watch every Howard Lovecraft book for an image of Little Howard and Cthulhu hugging. 

I also look for shoutouts- a very obvious one that I adored was a shout out to Charles Addams, a capable illustrator who lent his name to the 1960's portrayal of his artwork, called *Snap snap* The Addams Fam-i- Ly *Snap snap*. 

I was charmed and delighted, and give Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness two tentacles- er, thumbs, WAY UP!

I also send my thank you's to the wonderful Bruce Brown. 

Words can't describe how much I love this warning label. 

Thanks again! I was touched, disturbed, and I couldn't be more grateful!