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One Hundred Names for Love: A Stroke, A Marriage, and the Language of Healing Audiobook
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(3.03) - 653 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Diane Ackerman is an Orion Book Award-winning author and naturalist. In One Hundred Names for Love, Ackerman reflects on the time she spent caring for her husband, Pushcart Prize-winning novelist Paul West, after a stroke took his ability to speak. With conventional therapy not working, Ackerman decided to step in and do everything she could to help her husband find his words. "A gorgeously engrossing . and mind-opening love story ."-Booklist
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"I really found this book interesting. It is about a man who has a stroke and the his resulting language difficulties. It took me back to my college days learning about the anatomy of the brain, strokes, and language disorders. Written by the man's wife, it gave me a completely different perspective than I've ever had before, and taught me a lot about people, treatment, and language."
— Brynn (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Engrossing, affecting, sweetly funny, and mind-opening.”
— Booklist -
“Breathtaking…Hollowed out my chest…A splendid book.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer -
“Renewed my faith in the redemptive power of love.”
— New York Times Book Review
Awards
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A 2012 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for General Fiction
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A 2011 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
One Hundred Names for Love Listener Reviews
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" Reminiscent of Joan Didion's A Year of Magical Thinking. But not as good. BUT still enjoyable! "
— Jennifer, 2/17/2014 -
" Ackerman writes so well on the aftermath of her husband's stroke, the immense changes in her own life, and the frustrations and love in suddenly becoming a caregiver. "
— Susan, 2/14/2014 -
" I wish I had read this book a few years ago, but alas, it was not published a few years ago. Diane Ackerman has a pretty sophisticated understanding of the brain and she was able to use that understanding to help her husband regain language. A lovely story that is pretty honest about the ups and downs of being the primary caregiver for a spouse. "
— Sue, 1/16/2014 -
" May '12 Book Club. I liked this book a lot more than The Zookeeper's Wife, which ironically, she was writing at the same time. She and her husband are totally unlikable and she was often redundant, but it gave me a lot to think about. What would it be like to be your spouse's caregiver? You often hear about having to take care of aging parents, but not usually a spouse. I thought she gave a balanced look at how hard it is for both parties. "
— Sarah, 1/10/2014 -
" This heart warming story is full of compassion, honesty and advice for care givers. We're all care givers at one time or another. "
— Steve, 12/29/2013 -
" Deals with TBI. "
— Linda, 12/27/2013 -
" Touching memoir that speaks of the wonderful capability of the brain to re-wire itself. "
— Alisa, 12/21/2013 -
" I liked this, but I wanted to LOVE it. So, a little disappointing. "
— Jane, 12/2/2013 -
" A little slow - but interesting. I thought of Haley, our speech pathologist, throughout the entire book. Amazing to learn about the brain, stroke victims and what this couple went through. "
— Loriek, 11/7/2013 -
" I would probably find both the author and her husband insufferable in real life, but found this book worthy of five stars anyway! Fascinating account of stroke recovery and lots of great info about how the brain works. "
— Beth, 11/5/2013 -
" Other than giving me an inferiority complex about both my vocabulary and my marriage, this was a fantastic book . . . . "
— Mariah, 10/29/2013 -
" SUMMER READING REVIEW: "Simply beautiful. A tale of love, hope, courage, and strength. A fascinating story of life- and love- after a stroke cripples Ackerman's husband.The writing is breathtaking in its choice of words and sentence structure. A must-read!" -Alice Kintisch "
— Valley, 8/5/2013 -
" While I'm not a huge Ackerman fan, I am a fan of what she did here. More later! Thanks for the recommendation, Jen -- I'll send it back to you any day now! "
— Robin, 10/12/2012 -
" I seriously struggled with this book, which was disappointing. "
— Crystal, 6/6/2012 -
" I had my dictionary out for this one! What a lovely and moving story. "
— Kristie, 3/9/2012 -
" Did not finish. Found the tone to be much too dramatic and flowery for subject matter. "
— Rachel, 1/13/2012 -
" A brilliant and poignant reflection on living a life you did not and would not have chosen because you love someone. There are lots of very practical perspectives on living with and participating in the healing of some who has had a stroke. "
— Elizabeth, 10/12/2011 -
" Since my grandmother was a stroke survivor, I really enjoyed reading this book. "
— ElroyStrongjaws, 8/8/2011 -
" Really amazing true story about love and commitment. I know from first-hand experience that in a loving marriage BOTH parties are forever changed by a catastrophic illness. The couple learns just how strong their love and the marriage is. "
— Linda, 6/25/2011 -
" Touching memoir that speaks of the wonderful capability of the brain to re-wire itself. "
— Alisa, 6/24/2011 -
" Other than giving me an inferiority complex about both my vocabulary and my marriage, this was a fantastic book . . . . "
— Mariah, 6/22/2011 -
" A moving acct. of the changes in relationship after a severe stroke. Ackerman is a terrific writer with interesting thoughts and good ways to turn a phrase. "
— Kari, 6/12/2011 -
" A very special read to help caregivers and language lovers which is making me rethink my mother's Alzheimer's disease. "
— Susan, 6/10/2011 -
" Learned a lot in this book, especially to appreciate my life. "
— Allison, 6/10/2011 -
" I learn from every Ackerman book I read. This one gave the added bonus of an amazing story of love and perseverance. Not a fast or easy read, but well worth the time invested. "
— Deb, 5/16/2011 -
" An amazing story of love and commitment. "
— Cindy, 5/15/2011 -
" I liked this, but I wanted to LOVE it. So, a little disappointing. "
— Jane, 5/4/2011
About Diane Ackerman
Diane Ackerman is the author of many highly acclaimed works of nonfiction and poetry, including A Natural History of the Senses, a book beloved by millions of readers all over the world, and The Zookeeper’s Wife, a New York Times bestseller which received the Orion Book Award. She has taught at Columbia and Cornell and has been published in the New York Times, Smithsonian, Parade, the New Yorker, and National Geographic.
About Barbara McCulloh
Barbara McCulloh has appeared on Broadway as Mrs. Darling in Peter Pan and as Anna in The King and I. Her film and television credits include Law & Order: SVU, Another World, and Peter Pan. She has also done extensive work in regional theater and recorded dozens of audiobooks.