The following books have been read and reviewed by NAMI NCSDC consumers. If you would like to submit a book review (or add your own review to one of the books already listed), contact info@nami-northcoastal.org for submission guidelines.
An
Unquiet Mind
by Kay Redfield Jamison
Detour:
My Bipolar Road Trip in 4-D
by
Lizzie Simon
His
Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina
by Danielle Steel
Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and
Strength
by Judy Collins
The
Awakenings Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, Summer 2000
Robert Lundin, Editor
The
Bippolar Disorder Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know
by David J. Miklowitz, Ph.D.
Time
magazine, August 19, 2002, edition
His
Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina
by Danielle Steel
Novelist Danielle Steel writes about the short life of her bipolar son, Nick Traina, who committed suicide at the age of 19. Written with love and sparing herself no pain, the author shares his story in depth. Excellent book to help someone understand the torments of manic-depressive illness and its effect on the family.
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Detour:
My Bipolar Road Trip in 4-D
by Lizzie Simon
This book is the newest and cutting edge of books written about teens with Bipolar Disorder. I would recommend it to any young person dealing with Manic Depression. Lizzie Simon takes a cross-country road trip to try and find other bipolar people like herself and interview them. She demonstrates how it feels to be young and bipolar. She succeeds in figuring out what works in people who are success cases.. She writes in the August issue of Time magazine, " I wanted to collect people like me and reveal them to the world. Look at us. Look hard. We’re not who you thought we were. And we’re everywhere."
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An
Unquiet Mind
by Kay Redfield Jamison
Although it’s been a few
years since I have read this book, I would still have to say that it is
one of the top two books on my reading list. Kay Redfield Jamison, as
many of you know, is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive
disorder. She is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School
of Medicine and the author of the standard medical text. In An Unquiet
Mind Jamison examines manic-depression from the dual perspective of
being a psychologist and also a person with bipolar disorder. She talks
about the allure of not taking medication and the inner turmoil this desire
creates. The way she describes the highs are so peoetic and right on the
mark. This is a must read.
© 1995
Published by Vintage Books, a Division of Random House, Inc., NY
ISBN 0-679-44374-6
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Time magazine, August 19, 2002, edition
This Time magazine has a full 12 pages dedicated to the article "Young and Bipolar." It includes such side stories as personal accounts, inside the bipolar brain, manic geniuses, Is your child bipolar? Lizzie Simons story (author of Detour: My Biploar Road Trip in 4-D), and The Genes for Bipolar May Lie on 10 different chromosomes. It is an informative and accurate portrayal of the disorder.
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The Bippolar Disorder
Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know
by David J. Miklowitz, Ph.D.
This book is full
of case studies that drive the point home: You can indeed survive this
disease if you ask for medical and social support when the early signs
of recurrences first appear, rely on your significant others for emotional
support, and separate yourself from the disorder and fight its stigma.
Leading a fulfilling life requires more than just taking medication. This
book made me see that I am not alone and that there are effective treatments
available as well as strategies to prevent mood swings from ruling my
life. It includes several good worksheets, too.
©2002 The Guilford Press
ISBN 1-57230-712-9 (cloth) and 1-57230-525-8 (pbk)
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The
Awakenings Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, Summer 2000
Robert Lundin, Editor
This is an incredible
collection of fiction, poetry, art and essays by persons living with mental
illness. It's the kind of book that you can pick up for five minutes or
five hours. You'll be entertained, inspired, and moved.
© 2000
Published by The Awakenings Project (5 Forest Hills Dr., #201, Glen Ellyn,
IL 60137) and The University of Chicago (Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation,
7230 Arbor Dr., Tinley Park, IL 60477)
ISSN 1529-9805
Sanity
and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength
by Judy Collins
Renowned singer/songwriter Judy Collins's deeply moving memoir chronicles her journey from pain to survival following the suicide of her son, and offers comfort to those who struggle in suicide's aftermath.
In Sanity and Grace, Collins reveals with unflinching honesty the events leading up to and following the death of her only child, culminating when she picks up the pieces of her shattered heart and gathers the strength to move forward. An elegantly written testimony of a survivor, Collins strives at first just to exist, and then to find solace in the face of grief and untimely loss. With this book, she breaks down the barriers of helplessness and secrecy to openly discuss the aftereffects of suicide and explains how she found a path to hope and clarity.
Sanity and
Grace speaks to all who have endured the sorrow of losing a loved
one before their time. In the depths of her suffering Collins found relief
by reaching out to others for help and support. Now, she extends her hand
to comfort other survivors whose lives have been affected by similar tragedy.
This inspirational book will serve as a balm to help soothe and heal those
wounded by suicide.
Due to come out in September 2003.
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