I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death cover art

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death

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I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death

By: Maggie O'Farrell
Narrated by: Daisy Donovan
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About this listen

As selected for the Zoe Ball Bookclub, a Book of the Year in The Sunday Times, The Times, Guardian, Irish Times, Observer, Red and The Telegraph.

I Am, I Am, I Am is a memoir with a difference - the enthralling story of an extraordinary woman's life in near-death experiences. Insightful, inspirational, a story you finish newly conscious of life's fragility, determined to make every heartbeat count.

A childhood illness she was not expected to survive. A teenage yearning to escape that nearly ended in disaster. A terrifying encounter on a remote path. A mismanaged labour in an understaffed hospital. Shocking, electric, unforgettable, this is the extraordinary memoir from Costa Novel-Award winner and Sunday Times best-selling author Maggie O'Farrell. It is a book to make you question yourself. What would you do if your life was in danger, and what would you stand to lose?

I Am, I Am, I Am will speak to readers who loved Cheryl Strayed's Wild or Max Porter's Grief is the Thing with Feathers.

©2017 Maggie O'Farrell (P)2017 Headline Publishing Group Ltd Heartfelt Memoir Near-Death Experience
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I can't wait to listen again. So good. Each chapter a new story. i just loved this. My second Maggie O'Farrell both so human.

Brilliant in every way

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Loved it! What a book! Each chapter introduces a different time and age of the author and her brushes with death, it was all so fascinating and written in such a way that you are kept wondering how each situation ended. Beautifully performed.

amazing book

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Such a heart wrenching story narrated perfectly for the prose. After loving Hamnet I’m so pleased I reached for this one.

Beautiful narration

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This memoir is beautifully written and read. It is a gripping account of life and near death on too many occasions for one life.

Captivating

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Maggie O’Farrell’s I Am, I Am, I Am is a beautifully written memoir that captivates from the very first page. As the first of O’Farrell’s works I’ve read, I can confidently say it was an excellent introduction to her storytelling prowess, and I am eager to explore her fiction next.

The memoir is structured around seventeen chapters, each representing a distinct event where O’Farrell narrowly escaped death. These vignettes are cleverly titled after different parts of the body—Neck, Cerebellum, Lungs, and so forth—adding a unique thematic touch to each narrative. The non-linear approach to her storytelling was particularly refreshing, offering a rich tapestry of life experiences that kept me perfectly engaged throughout.

O’Farrell’s prose is clear and concise, bringing authenticity and depth to each story. The memoir goes beyond mere recollection of close calls; it offers profound reflections on life, death, family, travel, and the unique experiences of women. Every chapter is infused with such depth and feeling that putting the book down becomes a challenge. It’s intelligent, thought-provoking, and impeccably well-written.

The book concludes with a deeply moving chapter about the author’s daughter and their ongoing health struggles, reminding us of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing our health. This final story resonates as a poignant lesson to live each day fully and appreciate every moment we have.

In all, I Am, I Am, I Am is a compelling read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. It’s a testament to O’Farrell’s incredible talent as a writer and storyteller, making it a must-read for anyone interested in memoirs that offer more than just a life story but an exploration of existence itself.

Great listen

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If you read only one book in your life, read this one. So relatable. So poetic. So affirming. Tears still in my eyes.

Beautifully written so moving

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Beautifully narrated. This has got to be one of the best books I have ever read.
Such a searing account of the author's encounters with death.
And the anguish and pain of parenting a child whose life is spent skirting the perimeter of death .A mother whose life is dominated by risk assessment and hypervigilance
I can't recommend this book enough

outstanding!

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This wonderful memoir presents a selection of thematically linked events from the author’s life. The non linear structure allows ideas and insights to emerge in layers, and it is only towards the end that there is overt commentary on what, from the author’s perspective, it all means. The subtitle forewarns that this will be an intense listen, but Maggie O’Farrell’s sure narrative touch ensured that I did not feel bombarded. That said, there are topics here that may be triggering, and I found myself sobbing at times. For me, this was something for which I feel grateful.

A riveting and moving memoir

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This book was a bad choice I made during the restrictions of Covid and so much illness & death around us. The topic was depressing for me.
However, it is well written by this talented author. I need to be more careful researching topics in future.

Topic not good in Covid

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Beautifully written and wonderfully read. This was a unique and delightful memoir. Highly recommend it

Superb

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