A Match to the Heart: One Woman's Story of Being Struck by Lightning Hardcover – May 24, 1994

Had some wonderful writing, some intriguing passages about lightning and surviving a lightning strike. But the story wandered all over, with philosophical ramblings that had little connectivity. I suppose that was the purpose of the book, but I was looking for more of a concrete story.

I must say that I was drawn in by Ms. Ehrlich's other written works. Her writing style has an easy flow plus you feel engaged with the topics she writes about. I particularly like this book. She tells her own story of being struck by lightening and not only the physical challenges she encountered but also regaining relationships with herself, her surroundings, and re-engaging in life. An excellent read.

Brilliantly written memoir that held my attention from beginning to end. I love the way she blends in her family history, the research she did on lightning, the body's vascular and nervous systems, and her many friendships with her struggle to survive and then thrive after being struck by lightning--for the second time in her life. Amazing story.

When lightning strikes, it burns everything...simple and complex...everything is reduced to the fight to stay alive...Ehrlich not only shows us her courage, but also shows us the humility we need to embrace in order to survive...not only did she survive the journey back, but she also understands and lives the importance of each moment.

This is a great book and a very interesting read. It did lose me when it became super wordy, I wanted to hear more about the actual lightening strike.

It is interesting to read about lives of authors and in this case her not knowing what would happen next.

This is a strange book. The terrible accident this woman suffers is heart-breaking. Her recovery is slow and she suffers much. Still, reading this book was a struggle for me because the author writes too well, if one can say that. Nothing is ever just described. Each action must be documented in detail, creek crossings must be described with color, texture, recollections of other creek crossings. Finally, it just became too much.One other thing that was off-putting for me: as you read the book, it slowly becomes clear that her greatest achievement was leaving Berkeley and moving to Wyoming and working on a ranch. somehow, one bond was broken and another forged. While of obvious importance to her, it is not compelling enough to keep me interested.

Four not five because it won't change my life; four not three because I'm happy to own it and suspect I'll be wanting to read it again. Local libraries didn't have a copy within reach, and I was impatient after two people recommended the book to me in two days.Life = recovery from major injury is like that (like what Gretel describes in the book). My own path involves art, and a lightning strike, and doctors who thought Ativan was appropriate treatment, and a long winding trip back where every stage feels like progress, only until more progress is made.Lightning changes the way you process the world. That experience is conveyed in the book but it's possible some readers might not recognize that is some of what they're reading.Agreed, there's not a lot of hard science. That wasn't available in 1994. The book wanders. Forcibly re-wired brains do that. Skim the part that doesn't catch your attention; the topic shifts are generously marked. The book is self-centered. Illness and injury will do that to you. Stories of recovery that trace the reality of how long and slow the journey can be are useful. Match to the Heart may well be a book that gets passed on to friends in need of that knowledge.