The Night the Lights Went Out

3.5 stars. I was a big fan of the original Deadspin website, so I was already primed to appreciate this book written by one of its key columnists. In his mildly entertaining (and frequently horrifying) narrative, Magary recalls the traumatic brain injury that almost killed him and left him compromised in 3 of his 5 senses (hearing, smell, taste). His recovery was slow and some of his losses were permanent. Plus his somewhat obnoxious personality became much more toxic, with bursts of anger that deeply strained his relationship with his wife and three kids.

Magary has a talent for explaining complex medical phenomena in a straightforward way, and I have a better understanding now of the challenges of living with compromised senses beyond “can't hear stuff that other people hear.” The ending gets a little hokey but considering how close he came to dying, I can't begrudge Magary some extreme emotionality.

Probably of greater interest to others like me who were familiar with the author's Deadspin columns, but a quick, informative read for anyone who is interested in memoirs about recovery from serious injuries.