Stranger in the Mirror: A True Story of Stroke Survival and Transformation Written with Insight, Compassion and Humor for Brain Injury Survivors and Their Families

After Michael Edward Little suffered a massive brain hemorrhage, his doctor suggested he write a book about his experience to help other brain injury and stroke survivors and their families through the experience of injury, rehabilitation, and return. Stranger in the Mirror is that book. This deeply moving personal account of brain damage is unlike anything ever written. The author is so open and honest about his experiences, you may squirm when you read his work. He doesn’t talk down to readers, but instead invites us into the same nightmare many people quietly confront every year. Like the best works of O. Henry, the author’s work is often ironic, humorous, and perceptive of the human condition, with a surprise ending. Once you start reading, you won’t be able to put it down, because the author shares what he learned and how he learned it. He writes of great truths we can learn if we pay attention to the world around us. Your own life-experience will confirm many of his observations. “Good writing always teaches us something or shows us a new way of looking at things,” Michael said recently.

            Michael frequently speaks before groups of brain injury survivors, stroke survivors, and medical professionals. His talks are always filled with laughter and joy. He considers his brain hemorrhage a blessing. “My experience was terrifying and I was scared to death, but I’m more compassionate, and a better person because of it.“ he says. “Bad things happen to everyone. How we deal with them defines the world we live in. That was an important lesson I learned from my experience. Most people consider brain hemorrhage something terrible, but for me it was wonderful. This sounds goofy, but it‘s true.” Presently the author is happily studying the works of Seneca.