The Night the Lights Went Out

A Memoir of Life After Brain Damage

By: Drew Magary

Narrated by: Drew Magary, Cassandra Campbell, Joseph Castillo-Midyett, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Sean Kinen, Soneela Nankani, Eileen Noonan, Brittany Pressley

A fascinating, darkly funny comeback story of learning to live with a broken mind after a near-fatal traumatic brain injury—from the acclaimed author of The Hike

“Drew Magary has produced a remarkable account of his journey, one that is filled with terror, tenderness, beauty, and grace.”—David Grann, bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon

Drew Magary, fan-favorite Defector and former Deadspin columnist, is known for his acerbic takes and his surprisingly nuanced chronicling of his own life. But in The Night the Lights Went Out, he finds himself far out of his depths. On the night of the 2018 Deadspin Awards, he suffered a mysterious fall that caused him to smash his head so hard on a cement floor that he cracked his skull in three places and suffered a catastrophic brain hemorrhage. For two weeks, he remained in a coma. The world was gone to him, and him to it.

In his long recovery from his injury, including understanding what his family and friends went through as he lay there dying, coming to terms with his now permanent disabilities, and trying to find some lesson in this cosmic accident, he leaned on the one sure thing that he knows and that didn't leave him—his writing.

Drew takes a deep dive into what it meant to be a bystander to his own death and figuring out who this new Drew is: a Drew that doesn't walk as well, doesn't taste or smell or see or hear as well, and a Drew that is often failing as a husband and a father as he bounces between grumpiness, irritability, and existential fury. But what's a good comeback story without heartbreak? Eager to get back what he lost, Drew experiences an awakening of a whole other kind in this incredibly funny, medically illuminating, and heartfelt memoir.

Critic reviews

“It’s harrowing reading, but there are moments of hope and joy, particularly as he navigates fatherhood.”—The New York Times

“Riveting . . . This is a deeply felt, and often very funny, good book.”—Linda Holmes, NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour

“Enjoyable reading for anyone who likes their recovery and life insights served with a side of wry humor and plenty of sarcasm.”—New York Post

“From heartrending to hilarious, The Night the Lights Went Out is a deeply inspirational story of love, family, friendships, and the resiliency of the human spirit that will keep you riveted (and laughing) to the very last page.”—Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer prize–winning Devil in the Grove

“A visceral, transporting tale of life, death, and the liminal space between. And an enlightening, emotional evaluation of exactly what makes us who we are. This book is a necessary window into the aftermath of trauma and a reminder to never take our senses for granted.”—Kelsey McKinney, author of God Spare the Girls

“Drew Magary has written about the darkest year of his life with honesty, insight, and the perfect amount of humor to remind us that he’s one of the funniest writers around—even (or especially) when he’s literally writing about life and death.”—Reeves Wiedeman, author of Billion Dollar Loser

“Drew Magary’s The Night the Lights Went Out is funny, because of course it is. But I was most struck by how searching and hopeful it is; a sincere exploration of the mysteries of the mind and body and what it means to lose part of yourself but not always be entirely certain of which part. The book is soulful, searing, and deeply human.”—Will Leitch, author of How Lucky

The harrowing experiences of life that may befall me in my 40s with zero warning

Glad you're ok, Drew. Fuck Beltway expansion. North Bethesda doesn't exist. Thoughts and prayers to Leon Harris.

Drew’s brain may have suffered but his writing is still great as always!

I didn’t expect to learn so much about anatomy but there it is. I laughed a lot considering it was a harrowing story. It is a miracle story ultimately and, as a long time fan, one that I was grateful to hear when it could have been so much worse!

You rock Drew

I remember seeing the initial cryptic tweets and telling my girlfriend “I think one of my favorite internet guys may have just died?” I spent what felt like weeks doing daily Twitter searches on his name, eager and terrified for what I might learn. Almost 3 years later, I am grateful for Drew sharing those details and telling the story not just of what happened during those weeks when I knew something was wrong, but also the months following when I hadn’t any idea.

TBI from all perspectives

LOVED this book. My father suffered a TBI 10+ years ago and this book shed some light on how he felt those early days. The interviews with family and friends were especially touching because an injury like that effects everyone who cares about and loves you.

hilarious, touching, and all around lovely

You can't go wrong with Drew's words

This was heavier than what I usually read by Drew Magary on Defector. But he's an exceptional story teller, maybe the goat, and you'll be glad you listened.