Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Giveaway - Head Case - Cole Cohen

I'm always intrigue by memoirs - that personal glimpse into someone else's life. I've got an absolutely fascinating one to giveaway today - Head Case by Cole Cohen has just released.

From the publisher, Henry Holt:

"A spirited, wry, and utterly original memoir about one woman's struggle to make her way and set up a life after doctors discover a hole the size of a lemon in her brain. 

The summer before she was set to head out-of-state to pursue her MFA, twenty-six-year-old Cole Cohen submitted herself to a battery of tests. For as long as she could remember, she'd struggled with a series of learning disabilities that made it nearly impossible to judge time and space--standing at a cross walk, she couldn't tell you if an oncoming car would arrive in ten seconds or thirty; if you asked her to let you know when ten minutes had passed, she might notify you in a minute or an hour. These symptoms had always kept her from getting a driver's license, which she wanted to have for grad school. Instead of leaving the doctor's office with permission to drive, she left with a shocking diagnosis--doctors had found a large hole in her brain responsible for her life-long struggles. Because there aren't established tools to rely on in the wake of this unprecedented and mysterious diagnosis, Cole and her doctors and family create them, and discover firsthand how best to navigate the unique world that Cole lives in. Told without an ounce of self-pity and plenty of charm and wit, Head Case is ultimately a story of triumph, as we watch this passionate, loveable, and unsinkable young woman chart a path for herself." Read an excerpt of Head Case.
Photo credit:
Lesley Abugov Cohen

"Cole Cohen graduated from the California Institute of the Arts MFA program in Writing and Critical Studies in 2009. She was a finalist for the Bakeless Prize and the Association of Writers & Writing Programs prize in Nonfiction and she has been a Yaddo Fellow. She currently lives in Santa Barbara, California where she works as the Events and Program Coordinator for UC Santa Barbara's Interdisciplinary Humanities Center." You can connect with Cole Cohen on Twitter as well as on Facebook.

Sounds fascinating doesn't it? If you'd like to own a copy of Head Case, enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US only, no PO boxes. Ends June 6/15.

8 comments:

Kay said...

How very odd! I'd be curious to know how she came to have the hole - from birth or something else. That cover with the lemon and the head are pretty visually graphic. LOL

Ethan said...

This sounds like a fascinating read. Thanks for the giveaway!

traveler said...

An intriguing giveaway. Thanks. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Grandma Cootie said...

This sounds fascinating and touching - and inspiring. What a frightening diagnosis that must have been.

Karin said...

Thanks for the chance to win!

Carl Scott said...

How fascinating! I'd love to know more of Cole's story. Thanks.

Margie said...

Thanks for the giveaway. This sounds fascinating.

Carl Scott said...

Thanks again for the giveaway, Luanne. Have a great weekend.