At the age of 43, Jennifer Gordon suffered a debilitating stroke that robbed her of the power of speech. What was it like for an intelligent, articulate, imaginative woman to find herself in a world where she could no longer communicate? Speechless tells this story. It describes the often puzzling symptoms leading to the stroke; the shock, then denial, then acceptance of the stroke itself; the periods of hostitalisation and rehabilitation and the long journey back to a 'normal' life. The author experiences despair at being dependent on others; resentment at being judged because she is...