An excellent overview of all matters related to schizophrenia. Contains both practical and theoretical information for the afflicted and their family An excellent overview of all matters related to schizophrenia. Contains both practical and theoretical information for the afflicted and their family members. The version I read was not the most current and of course research advances from one year to the next. ...more
Well-written and scientifically interesting, the author gives what seems like a perfect window into what it’s like to cope with serious medical illnesWell-written and scientifically interesting, the author gives what seems like a perfect window into what it’s like to cope with serious medical illness. ...more
This is an excellent book for parents of children with conduct disorder, or even oppositional defiance disorder. The author offers a reasonable theoryThis is an excellent book for parents of children with conduct disorder, or even oppositional defiance disorder. The author offers a reasonable theory of emerging criminality and some parental remedies rooted in consistency, parental cooperation, and discipline. Although the author situates his recommendations in influential theories of human development, he unfortunately does not (in this book at least) reference almost any specific research studies. Still, this is one of the most practical guides available to parents of children with conduct disorder....more
An engaging memoir that seems to accurately portray anti-social personality disorder from the inside. I think the author is particularly helpful to heAn engaging memoir that seems to accurately portray anti-social personality disorder from the inside. I think the author is particularly helpful to her readers when she explains why someone who lacks empathy can still seek to remedy a feeling of emptiness by engaging in risky or even malevolent behavior. The author also helps to demonstrate that so-called sociopaths can lead productive personal and professional lives. One weakness in the book is that the author spends a lot of time describing a romantic relationship that isn’t particularly interesting or revelatory in terms of her personality disorder. ...more
This was one of the best books on schizophrenia I’ve read, and I’ve read a few. It’s a fascinating story and an apparently honest portrayal of the wayThis was one of the best books on schizophrenia I’ve read, and I’ve read a few. It’s a fascinating story and an apparently honest portrayal of the way the afflicted person gets torn between medical treatment and a desire for autonomy, self-determination, and normalcy. Of course, the memoirist’s life is extraordinary—her abilities almost superhuman—and so the narrative is not particularly representative of how most people’s lives are undermined by the brutal disease. And the author admits as much. It would therefore be wonderful to find a book that deals with the way more ordinary individuals live with the disorder. (However, the podcast, Inside Schizophrenia, is a good substitute for that kind of book)....more
It’s always wonderful to read a well-written book by a person with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. This book is in fact a nice blend bIt’s always wonderful to read a well-written book by a person with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. This book is in fact a nice blend between the essay and memoir genres. The author gives the reader many personal and intellectual insights into the nature of schizophrenia. The book is realistic but concludes with a note of cautious optimism. ...more
My reading odyssey on schizophrenia continued with this well-researched and relatively objective family biography and medical and cultural history of My reading odyssey on schizophrenia continued with this well-researched and relatively objective family biography and medical and cultural history of the disease. Of course, the rarity of this story of six schizophrenic brothers probably doesn’t give people a great idea of what a more “ordinary” encounter with the disease looks like. ...more
Although I almost gave up several times in the slow and meandering first quarter of the book, the rest of the book was excellent. After a slow start, Although I almost gave up several times in the slow and meandering first quarter of the book, the rest of the book was excellent. After a slow start, the author gets into the heart of his story and does an excellent job of integrating themes of murder, schizophrenia, the history of psychiatry, criminal justice, and public health and safety....more
The author has written four interesting case studies of the intersection between mental health and social l, ideological, and political forces. ShadesThe author has written four interesting case studies of the intersection between mental health and social l, ideological, and political forces. Shades of Foucault. Nicely researched, and sensitive to issues of race, culture, and gender, each case study seems like an excellent extended article. However, the case study approach somewhat undermines the book’s overall theoretical contribution to the literature on mental health and schizophrenia in particular. ...more
This was a good if unsettling book for two reasons. First, it’s a pretty honest account of many of the serious problems family members may confront whThis was a good if unsettling book for two reasons. First, it’s a pretty honest account of many of the serious problems family members may confront when one of the family is diagnosed with schizophrenia. Second, it’s a good overview of how private tragedy intersects with public services and public policy. One interesting thing about the story is that the author’s son was also a drug addict, which she says is very common for people suffering from serious mental health disorders. So the book is in some ways about the important intersection between schizophrenia and drug abuse. I was interested to see how a lawmaker tried to make policy changes even as she coped with her son’s complex and evolving problems. However, the book is now slightly dated and I’m not sure the book provides many good current policy recommendations. ...more
I stayed engaged with the book and learned something about schizophrenia from it. The author built this book from the foundation of her schizophrenic I stayed engaged with the book and learned something about schizophrenia from it. The author built this book from the foundation of her schizophrenic uncle’s relatively short and unpublished memoir. It was interesting to hear the afflicted uncle’s perspective on his own life, but the author’s commentary (based in part on interviews and conducted with family members) helped to contextualize whatever might not have been clear had the original memoir been published on its own. There isn’t all that much scientific or historic information here so it might be best to read additional works on schizophrenia before reading this one. But it’s certainly an interesting read even if read without prior preparation. ...more
This book provides a very nice overview of the current state of scientific knowledge on schizophrenic. Its emphasis is on research studies so it’s notThis book provides a very nice overview of the current state of scientific knowledge on schizophrenic. Its emphasis is on research studies so it’s not particularly designed to help the affected or their loved ones live with the condition. For that, I’d recommend the wonderful podcast, Inside Schizophrenia. ...more
This is a relatively simple book but it admirably weds scientific research with personal and clinical experience to offer the family members of those This is a relatively simple book but it admirably weds scientific research with personal and clinical experience to offer the family members of those afflicted with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (and to a lesser extent substance abuse) clear guidance for helping their loved ones accept treatment. The approach seems illogical at first but quickly comes to seem both humane and efficacious. ...more
A bit dated but still provides parents with a sensible survey of many of the parenting issues they might encounter, especially with troubled teens. OfA bit dated but still provides parents with a sensible survey of many of the parenting issues they might encounter, especially with troubled teens. Of course there’s not a lot of depth in any particular area of adolescent development. ...more
Although I am no doubt biased by my friendship with the author, I loved this well-written dive into both the history and present of memory research. AAlthough I am no doubt biased by my friendship with the author, I loved this well-written dive into both the history and present of memory research. Although the book provides an overview of many key scientific studies, it’s not hard to follow, and the author’s personal anecdotes are always illustrative of some key lesson about the brain’s inner workings. ...more
A masterclass in illogical and unscientific argumentation. I will admit that i couldn’t quite finish this ridiculous book but for a while I was genuinA masterclass in illogical and unscientific argumentation. I will admit that i couldn’t quite finish this ridiculous book but for a while I was genuinely enthralled by the author’s strange but sustained refusal to cite relevant research studies as he made his unsubstantiated case that parents were responsible (and not as a result of genetics) for their children’s ADHD. Of course, the author’s thesis could turn out to have legs, but he apparently has not yet discovered any evidence of this, other than pointing out that adopted children may suffer from ADHD at even higher rates than their genetic inheritances should allow. (He doesn’t seem to have access to any research on why this is the case, only a gut instinct).
One representative point for me, and I feel terrible for mentioning this, occurs when the author takes a long personal detour to talk about an early childhood lived in the shadow of the end stages of the Hungarian Holocaust. His suggestion is that this personal and family trauma led to his ADHD. The idea is an interesting one but is unsupported by any Holocaust-survivor research whatsoever (at least he doesn’t bother to mention any) or any research related to the relationship between trauma and ADHD more generally.
I read a lot of very divided opinions about the book, which I don’t understand, and hope not to get caught up in. It’s not that the author couldn’t be right about the relationship between bad parenting (or trauma in general) and the onset of ADHD. It’s just that the author does nothing at all to prove the relationship. He does cite real ADHD research experts like Barkley, but always out of context....more
This is a tremendously impressive if often painfully tragic book. The author is a brilliantly creative researcher, interviewer, and writer. But it’s hThis is a tremendously impressive if often painfully tragic book. The author is a brilliantly creative researcher, interviewer, and writer. But it’s his tremendous empathy for all of the different communities he discusses in depth that make this book so wonderful. Just lovely. ...more
The book concept was sort of interesting, if a bit gimmicky. As another reviewer wrote, the author does seem to have taken up the idea of living with The book concept was sort of interesting, if a bit gimmicky. As another reviewer wrote, the author does seem to have taken up the idea of living with old folks merely in order to write the book. But we don’t ultimately learn too much, either about the author, or about the condition of being aged or retired....more
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