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

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first heard of this book, I did wonder how unlucky someone could be to have had 17 encounters with death. But actually, apart from the ones discussing serious illness or a truly frightening attack, most of the essays focus on brushes with death that everyone has but doesn't really think about - stepping back from the curb just in time to avoid being squashed or misjudging how deep the water is. That said by the time I was halfway through the book, I did start to think O'Farrell has a bit of a death wish - she certainly finds herself in situations that could have been avoided (such as don't jump into the sea for a dare when you have problems with perception). But, O'Farrell does address her reckless behaviour and the reasons why in the penultimate essay ("Cerebellum").

All in all, a beautifully written book that raises interesting questions about how close we are to death and how often we ignore its presence.

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