Stir

My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home

By: Jessica Fechtor

Narrated by: Jessica Fechtor

At 28, Jessica Fechtor was happily immersed in graduate school and her young marriage and thinking about starting a family. Then one day she went for a run, and an aneurysm burst in her brain. She nearly died. She lost her sense of smell and the sight in her left eye and was forced to the sidelines of the life she loved.

Jessica's journey to recovery began in the kitchen as soon as she was able to stand at the stovetop and stir. There, she drew strength from the restorative power of cooking and baking.

Written with intelligence, humor, and warmth, Stir is a heartfelt examination of what it means to nourish and be nourished.

©2015 Jessica Fechtor (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"[Fechtor] writes with clarity and obvious joy about the foods that have meant so much to her." (Kirkus)

The ongoing battle to win!

Loved this book the perseverance is amazing! One foot in front of the next and the food that gets us through tough times is so important in life!

Beautiful book!

I just finished listening to Stir and didn’t want it to end. The authors beautiful writing and pleasant voice made listening so enjoyable. It’s amazing that a story about a young woman having an aneurism and several brain surgeries could be so seamlessly woven with stories of food and cooking. Her attitude throughout was so honest and positive. I feel inspired and thankful post listening to this book.

I really enjoyed this book!

I loved the intertwined narratives of health, perspective, family, friends, and- most importantly- food. I listened to this in 3 days; I didn’t want to turn it off. I highly recommend!

Wonderfully balanced: trauma, hope and food

Well written, this book was truly a delight to savor. The narration was spot on.

Food is healing

An upbeat story narrated by the author made the words more real and authentic. Highly recommend using a credit and give it a listen. It’s quick and heartwarming.