About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherShe Writes Press

ISBN-101647422051

ISBN-139781647422059

eBay Product ID (ePID)11050382677

Product Key Features

Book TitleMy Famous Brain : a Novel

Number of Pages328 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2021

TopicPsychological, General, Literary, Biographical

IllustratorYes

GenreFiction

AuthorDiane Wald

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Length8.5 in

Item Width5.5 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2021-908385

Reviews2022 16th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards in New Fiction and Visionary Fiction 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in General Fiction/Novel 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Paranormal 2022 IPPY Awards Silver Winner in Visionary/New Age Fiction 2022 Book Excellence Awards Finalist in Fiction 2022 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite in Visionary Fiction 2021 International Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Literary 2021 Best Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Visionary 2021 NYC Big Book Awards Winner in Visionary Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in New Adult Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in Speculative Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in Visionary Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards Second Place Winner in Paranormal 2021 Foreword Indie Bronze Winner in General "Wald''s evocative novel manages to deftly capture the mood and myriad voices of the academic world; however, it also narrows its focus to delve deeply into the sensitive mind of its introspective protagonist . . . [Wald is] a writer who understands timing as much as she does a beautifully crafted sentence. A sensitive and moody take on personal connections between loved ones." -- Kirkus Reviews "Author Diane Wald has crafted a truly intriguing slice of life drama which chronicles some quite incredible events and teaches us the value of observation of others and the effects caused to other people by how we live our lives." -- Readers'' Favorite "Impressively original, extraordinarily clever, inherently fascinating, and deftly scripted . . . an extraordinary fictional biography laced through and through with elements of the metaphysical . . . highly recommended." -- Midwest Book Review "Masterfully combining the human and soul experience in one voice, Diane Wald brings to life a character from the beyond who knows how to be present in his past with the wisdom and insight of the afterlife. A must-read for anyone needing a reminder of the preciousness of life." --Christina Rasmussen, best-selling author of Where Did You Go? "Diane Wald is a fantastic storyteller with the ear of a poet. My Famous Brain is an enthrallingly complex, layered story where relationships and loves are like feedback loops in a fallen-down house of time. Deceased narrator Jack MacLeod suffers a brain tumor and exists between headache and heartache, where, he says, "the mysteries of the universe open up to me like waterlilies in the sunlight." He shuffles his memories, loves, and fears, searching for communion, connection, and empathy. This is a novel about what it is to be alive or dead, and to experience time as it moves through the body." --Patrick Lawler, author of Rescuers of Skydivers Search Among the Clouds and The Meaning of If "Diane Wald''s literary ability lifts the reader into an empathic relationship with each character. Her development of these characters'' relationships, not only with humans but also with precious animals, gives the reader the ability to feel --something our society desperately needs. This novel tells the story of a most intriguing man, and the plot twists and turns never fail to show how various lives come together to create the fullness of one life." --Annette Daloia Scanlon, Social Worker in Hospice & Palliative Care in Human & Veterinary Medicine "A compelling, challenging, and utterly gripping tale. . . . Wald''s prose is lush, and she beautifully humanizes her characters." -- The Prairies Book Review "Wald''s unique art of storytelling will immerse you in this witty, profound, and heartbreaking tale. A simply inspiring read . . . original, real, and poignantly memorable." --Lukanyo Mbanga, Reedsy Discovery "[P]oignant and utterly engrossing . . . cunningly plotted and told in a fascinating, irresistible voice . . . a highly enthralling and complex tale . . . deft and balanced . . . nuanced and filled with wisdom." -- The Book Commentary, 2022 16th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards in New Fiction and Visionary Fiction 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in General Fiction/Novel 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Paranormal 2022 IPPY Awards Silver Winner in Visionary/New Age Fiction 2022 Book Excellence Awards Finalist in Fiction 2022 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite in Visionary Fiction 2021 International Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Literary 2021 Best Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Visionary 2021 NYC Big Book Awards Winner in Visionary Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in New Adult Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in Speculative Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in Visionary Fiction 2021 Firebird Book Awards Second Place Winner in Paranormal 2021 Foreword Indie Bronze Winner in General "Wald''s evocative novel manages to deftly capture the mood and myriadvoices of the academic world; however, it also narrows its focus todelve deeply into the sensitive mind of its introspective protagonist . .. [Wald is] a writer who understands timing as much as she does abeautifully crafted sentence. A sensitive and moody take on personalconnections between loved ones." -- Kirkus Reviews "Author Diane Wald has crafted a truly intriguing slice of life dramawhich chronicles some quite incredible events and teaches us the valueof observation of others and the effects caused to other people by howwe live our lives." -- Readers'' Favorite "Impressively original, extraordinarily clever, inherently fascinating,and deftly scripted . . . an extraordinary fictional biography lacedthrough and through with elements of the metaphysical . . . highlyrecommended." -- Midwest Book Review "Masterfully combining the human and soul experience in one voice, DianeWald brings to life a character from the beyond who knows how to bepresent in his past with the wisdom and insight of the afterlife. Amust-read for anyone needing a reminder of the preciousness of life." --Christina Rasmussen, best-selling author of Where Did You Go? "Diane Wald is a fantastic storyteller with the ear of a poet. My Famous Brain is an enthrallingly complex, layered story where relationships andloves are like feedback loops in a fallen-down house of time. Deceasednarrator Jack MacLeod suffers a brain tumor and exists between headacheand heartache, where, he says, "the mysteries of the universe open up tome like waterlilies in the sunlight." He shuffles his memories, loves,and fears, searching for communion, connection, and empathy. This is anovel about what it is to be alive or dead, and to experience time as itmoves through the body." --Patrick Lawler, author of Rescuers of Skydivers Search Among the Clouds and The Meaning of If "Diane Wald''s literary ability lifts the reader into an empathicrelationship with each character. Her development of these characters''relationships, not only with humans but also with precious animals,gives the reader the ability to feel --something our societydesperately needs. This novel tells the story of a most intriguing man,and the plot twists and turns never fail to show how various lives cometogether to create the fullness of one life." --Annette Daloia Scanlon, Social Worker in Hospice & Palliative Care in Human & Veterinary Medicine "A compelling, challenging, and utterly gripping tale. . . . Wald''sprose is lush, and she beautifully humanizes her characters." -- The Prairies Book Review "Wald''s unique art of storytelling will immerse you in this witty,profound, and heartbreaking tale. A simply inspiring read . . .original, real, and poignantly memorable." --Lukanyo Mbanga, Reedsy Discovery "[P]oignant and utterly engrossing . . . cunningly plotted and told in afascinating, irresistible voice . . . a highly enthralling and complextale . . . deft and balanced . . . nuanced and filled with wisdom." -- The Book Commentary

Dewey Edition23

Dewey Decimal813.6

Synopsis"My brain was famous, but I was not. Not every gifted child invents apollutant-free fuel, paints a masterpiece, or finds the cure forcancer," Jack MacLeod tells us. "Some of us just live out our lives."Jack died in 1974; now, he's ready to narrate his story from beyond thegrave.Jack's prodigious memory, which allows him to memorize books, and hispenchant for psychic connections give him unusual insights into theevents of his past life and make him fiercely curious about his currentstate of existence. Jack immerses us in interconnected tales of hischildhood participation in a research study on the intellectuallygifted, his dual career as a clinical psychologist and universityprofessor, his participation in the unmasking of an unscrupulouscolleague, his long-term health issues, his brief but life-changing loveaffair with a student, his deep friendship with another man, and hiseventual acceptance and celebration of the circumstances of his fate.How Jack dies, and how he deals with the murder of someone close to him,mirrors how he has lived and grown, and marks the significance ofeveryone and everything that ultimately brings him to yet another levelof brilliance., Although deemed a genius, psychologist Jack MacLeod never became famous. Here, after falling victim to a brain tumor, he narrates his life story from beyond the grave-relying on his intelligence and prodigious memory to gain insight into the relationships, both romantic and platonic, that shaped his existence, and to understand his life more richly., Although deemed a genius, psychologist Jack MacLeod never became famous. Here, after falling victim to a brain tumor, he narrates his life story from beyond the grave--relying on his intelligence and prodigious memory to gain insight into the relationships, both romantic and platonic, that shaped his existence, and to understand his life more richly., --For readers who liked . . .: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold or The Five People You Meet in Heaven The book is fiction, but has the feel of autobiography, a very popular genre. A review from Readers Favorite says: "Author Diane Wald has crafted a truly intriguing slice of life drama . . . [R]eaders who enjoy deep literary portrayals of fascinating characters will be sure to adore My Famous Brain The author's debut novel, Gillyflower , published in 2019 by She Writes Press, won first place in the novella category from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, first place in the novella category from American Book Fest, first place in Fiction: Novella from International Book Awards, and a bronze medal from Reader's Favorite.

LC Classification NumberPS3573.A421147