Recommended Reading
There is a growing body of literature available about TBI, brain function, and related subjects. We recommend the following books as "must have" choices for your own TBI Recovery library. We are proud to be able to assist you in acquiring some of these books, in association with

  • Acknowledged A Man by Barbara Del Buono, Ellingsworth, 1999 -- The true story of a young man, brutally beaten about the head and dismissed by the medical establishment as a lost, pathetic cause. But he is also championed by his parents, friends and a group of outstanding professionals, and he goes on to forge a life of inspiration and meaning.

  • Being with Rachel: A Personal Story of Memory and Survival by Karen Brennan, W. W. Norton & Company, New York, NY, 2002 -- The story of two courageous spirits, mother and daughter, challenged by a new reality after a life-changing accident. Their collaborative effort, bound by love, is a dynamic memoir of recovery and reinvention.

  • Brain Boosters by Beverly Potter and Sebastian Orfali, Ronin Publishing, Berkeley, CA, 1993 -- Early research and information on foods and drugs that can help brain function and memory to improve.

  • Brain, Heal Thyself: A Caregiver's New Approach to Recovery from Stroke, Aneurysm, And Traumatic Brain Injuries by Madonna Siles and Lawrence J. Beuret, Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Charlottesville, VA, 2006 -- This book is a combination of part memoir, part recovery manual. Brain, Heal Thyself is a guidebook for thousands of shell-shocked individuals who suddenly find themselves having to make life and death decisions for those they love.
  • Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, with Cameron Stauth, Warner Books, New York, 1997 -- The preeminent study on brain degeneration and how to combat and overcome it, via nutritional therapy, stress management, exercise therapy, and pharmacology.

  • BrainRecovery.com by David Perlmutter, MD, 2000 -- An outstanding resource for those who have felt discouraged about the limitations of previous therapies. The author has combined science and clinical experience in creating a practical resource for doctors and patients.

  • Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel G. Amen, MD, Times Books, New York, 1998 -- A study of which brain systems are associated with particular problems, with detailed checklists to help pinpoint the problems and "brain prescriptions" (cognitive exercises, nutrition, medication, and more) to help enhance brain function.

  • Collaborative Brain Injury Intervention by Mark Ylvisaker, PhD, and Timothy Feeney, PhD, Singular Pub. Group, San Diego, CA, 1998 -- A multidisciplinary approach to brain injury rehab, including advances in the fields of neuro-, cognitive, and behavioral psychology. Also stressed is the importance of collaborating with people in the patient's everyday life.

  • Confronting Traumatic Brain Injury by William Winslade, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 1998 -- A book about "devastation, hope, and healing" with information about the financial and emotional costs of TBI and about key ethical and moral issues.

  • The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind by Elkhonon Goldberg, Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 2002 -- This book explores the brain from every angle, from how we engage in complex mental operations to our social behavior. It is full of the latest discoveries in neuroscience and contains in depth information about the frontal lobe and it's workings.
  • I'll Carry The Fork by Kara L. Swanson, Rising Star Press, Los Altos, CA, 1999 -- A survivor's story of "recovering a life after brain injury." The author used information that it took her months and years to learn and put it into a short, easy-to-read book to help survivors and their loved ones better understand the process of recovery.

  • If I Only Had A Brain Injury by Laura Bruno, Xlibris Corporation, 2008 -- Unlike other books on healing from so-called “Medical Mysteries,” If I Only Had a Brain Injury encourages readers to chart their own inspirational journeys. The book’s structure follows The Wizard of Oz storyline (Dorothy’s journey begins with a concussion), guiding readers to a “yellow brick road through recovery.” A collection of personal examples, alternative treatments and spiritual growth exercises, this book also offers wisdom from thirteen contributors, including Robin Cohn (Vice President of New York State Brain Injury Association), Dr. William Padula (Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association), Dana Reeve, and Kay Strom.

  • In An Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing by Lee & Bob Woodruff, Random House, New York, NY, 2007 -- Lee Woodruff, along with her husband, Bob Woodruff, share their never-before-told story of romance, resilience, and survival following the tragedy that transformed their lives and gripped a nation. In an Instant is the frank and compelling account of how Bob and Lee’s lives came together, were blown apart, and then were miraculously put together again–and how they persevered, with grit but also with humor, through intense trauma and fear.
  • In Search of Wings: A Journey Back from Traumatic Brain Injury by Beverley Bryant, Wings Publishing, South Paris, Maine, 1992 -- In Search of Wings tells the true story of one woman coping with a traumatic brain injury after a car accident that affected her cognitive skills and memory. Her determination to conquer her deficits in order to regain total independence stands as an inspiration to all survivors.
  • Inside The Brain by Ronald Kotulak, Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kansas City, MO, 1997 -- Especially good sections on brain damage, repair and renewal -- and on the outlook for the next new areas of investigation.

  • Living with Brain Injury: A Guide for Families, 2nd Edition by Richard C. Senelick & Karla Dougherty, Thomson Delmar Learning, Stamford, CT, 2001 -- Consumer text to aid people living with brain-injured survivors keep up with the latest information available. Includes facts on neuroplasticity, experimental rehabilitation research, and the process of rehabilitation itself.
  • Mind Boosters by Ray Sahelian, MD, St. Martin's Griffin, New York, 2000 -- A guide to natural supplements that enhance your mind, memory, and mood. This is an examination of the latest research on brain nutrients, amino acids, herbs, and hormones.

  • One Split Second* by Suzan Bryan Hoppe, Robbie Dean Press, Ann Arbor, MI, 1993 -- A story of how "one split second" changed her son's life and that of her family.

  • Over My Head by Claudia Osborn, Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kansas City, MO, 1998 -- "A doctor's own story of head injury from the inside looking out". This is a powerful expression of profound loss, acceptance, and moving forward.

  • Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury by Jean L. Blosser, EdD, and Roberta DePompei, PhD, Singular Pub. Group, San Diego, CA, 1994 -- A "proactive intervention" or practical philosophy for the care of children and adolescents with TBI, stressing the ideal of family members learning to function as team leaders, since they will be responsible for coordinating team efforts for years to come.

  • Smile and Jump High! the True Story of Overcoming a Traumatic Brain Injury by Donald J. Lloyd & Shannon L. Kehoe, Starlight Press, Monroe, Georgia, 2001 -- Smile and Jump High! is the moving account of how one young woman and her family struggle through the 'hidden tunnel of darkness'. The book is an emotional ride through the minds of family members and the victim using personal journals and a diary. It follows them on a sometimes serious, sometimes hilarious roller coaster ride from hope to despair, frustration to elation, finally ending in triumph.
  • TBI Hell: A Traumatic Brain Injury Really Sucks by Geo Gosling, Outskirts Press, Parker, Colorado, 2006 -- This book is the first had account of Geo Gosling who survived a bicycle vs. pick-up truck collision. But he was the bicycle and he may have survived but he still lost. A very personal and honest account of his life after a TBI, and the trials and tribulations of tryig to cope with the physical limitations, anger and depression that are all along the long road to recovery.
  • Where Is The Mango Princess? by Cathy Crimmins, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2000 -- The author writes about her husband's brain injury and the subsequent fallout. This life-wrenching drama of witnessing her husband's near death and ensuing rebirth as a very different person is terrifically life-affirming, even in its darkest moments.

  • Your Miracle Brain by Jean Carper, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2000 -- The story of how new scientific evidence reveals how you can use food and supplements to maximize brain power, boost your memory, and lift your mood, among other things.

    * Currently out-of-print -- we are looking for a source
 


 
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