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Broken Brains

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Broken Brains

By: Jamila Rizvi, Rosie Waterland
Narrated by: Jamila Rizvi, Rosie Waterland
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About this listen

Jamila Rizvi and Rosie Waterland have each suffered significant, debilitating brain injury - one through rare disease and the medical interventions that followed, the other through deep childhood trauma.
In this brave and honest book, Jamila and Rosie share their parallel stories of becoming and being sick, alongside the experience and advice of those who've been there before. They reveal that their 'broken brains' have more in common than they initially realised, proving how mental and physical health are inextricably entwined.
Part memoir and part investigation, Broken Brains is essential reading for anyone who has been sick or loved someone who has. Together, Jamila and Rosie offer comfort, solidarity and understanding in this sometimes funny, sometimes brutal, but always generous book about living with chronic ill health.

©2025 Jamila Rizvi and Rosie Waterland (P)2025 Penguin Random House Australia Audio Inspiring Tear-jerking Health Human Brain Funny Mental Health Injury
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This book is a must listen for everyone whether you have had a brain injury, know someone with a brain injury or have never met anyone with serious illness. It made me laugh and cry. And it’s full of excellent advice. Should you be facing an illness yourself or have a friend or family member going through serious illness this is the book for you.

Must read/listen

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As someone with a broken brain and chronic invisible illnesses, this book was so well written and I’ve asked everyone I know to read it. It’s such an important book to read if you have anyone in your life who is sick. It put my thoughts into words and the message was beautifully crafted.

Fantastic book

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Beautifully written, raw and honest and exceptionally well researched. Well done Rosie and Jamila you are bothamazing.

Best book I’ve ever read.

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This is an excellent exploration of the differing ways in which physical and mental health conditions are perceived and supported. I loved learning more about Jam and Rosie's stories, and I'm so glad they narrated it themselves.

Beautifully written

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Broken Brains is not just a book—it’s a brave, brilliantly written reckoning with the realities of living with mental illness and disability in Australia. Rosie Waterland and Jamila Rizvi come together to share their deeply personal, wildly different experiences of what it means to live with a “broken brain,” and the result is extraordinary.

Rosie’s chapters are raw, darkly funny, and painfully honest—she doesn’t hold back, and her storytelling is as sharp and fearless as ever. Jamila’s side, equally moving and courageous, offers a rare and eye-opening look into life with a brain tumour and the way Australia fails people living with disability. Her voice is measured, reflective, and full of heart.

Together, they shine a light on stigma, survival, friendship, and the power of telling your truth. Broken Brains is essential reading—equal parts heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and unexpectedly hopeful.

Read of the year! Powerful,honest and raw

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a wonderful resource about the relationship between physical and mental health and the real world experience of navigating life love and the health care system while managing chronic pain.

so helpful

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Enjoyed this book so much. These women are conquering so much despite incredible setbacks, while acknowledging it’s hard and there have been disappointments and failures along the way. Very inspiring. THANK YOU Rosie and Jamila! I was lucky to sit in the audience at one of your book launch events and thought, damn these women are good at what they do 🫶

Excellent listen, loved the authors delivery of their writing. So entertaining and profound.

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I loved Broken Brains. I could relate to so much of both Rosie and Jamila's journeys. A unique book, telling the hard stories noone wants to experience themselves, with grace, humour and practical advice. Thank you Rosie and Jamila!

Heartfelt honesty - brilliant

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Started out well, but then it just seemed to keep randomly wandering to other people's stories. I didn't feel it really explored deeply what it's like to live with chronic illness, the medical gaslighting we experience or how to cope with it all! Just seemed to lose its way half way through the book and I couldn't stay engaged.

Good topic but didn't quite deliver

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.