Girl, Interrupted


Book Description

30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, eighteen-year-old Susanna Kaysen was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital. Her memoir of the next two years is a "poignant, honest ... triumphantly funny ... and heartbreaking story" (The New York Times Book Review). WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR The ward for teenage girls in the McLean psychiatric hospital was as renowned for its famous clientele—Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, James Taylor, and Ray Charles—as for its progressive methods of treating those who could afford its sanctuary. Kaysen's memoir encompasses horror and razor-edged perception while providing vivid portraits of her fellow patients and their keepers. It is a brilliant evocation of a "parallel universe" set within the kaleidoscopically shifting landscape of the late sixties. Girl, Interrupted is a clear-sighted, unflinching document that gives lasting and specific dimension to our definitions of sane and insane, mental illness and recovery.




Committed


Book Description

After a decade of caring for crazy and keeping her mother’s mental illness a secret from the outside world, twenty-year-old Paolina Milana longs for just one year free from the madness of her home. When she gets the chance to go to an out-of-state school, she takes it, but her family won’t leave her be. Letter after letter arrives, constantly reminding her of the insanity rooted in her family tree. Even worse, the voices in her own head whisper words she’s not sure are normal. “Please don’t make me be like Mamma,” she prays to a God she’s not sure is listening. The unexpected death of her father soon after she returns home leaves Paolina in shock—and in charge of her paranoid schizophrenic mother. But it isn’t until she is twenty-seven and her sister two years her junior explodes in a psychotic episode and, just like Mamma, is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and must be committed, that Paolina descends into her own despair, nearly losing herself to the darkness. Poignant and impactful, Committed is one woman’s story of resilience as she struggles to stay sane despite the madness that surrounds her.




Pleading Insanity


Book Description

Twenty-year-old Andrew James Archer seemed to have it all as a midwestern college student at the top of the dean's list and with a beautiful girlfriend at his side. Yet somehow the balance of perfectionist goals and the ability to temporarily turn off anxiety with the help of alcohol and friends allowed Andrew to hide what was lying just beneath the surface: bipolar disorder. In his poignant personal narrative, Andrew invites others inside a hellish prism that left him the victim of substance abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, mania, and delusions--and in a psychiatric unit with a mind separated from reality and a body confined to a jail cell. As Andrew reveals the details of his harrowing journey through mental illness and subsequent treatment, he helps to demystify common misperceptions, build awareness, and provide hope to others suffering from bipolar disorder. Drawing on Andrew's personal reflections, this memoir exposes the dirty insides of mental illness from an individual and family perspective. It navigates the intimate details of mania that few can recall and most cannot articulate. Whether you have no knowledge of bipolar disorder or are an expert in the mental health field, the earnest nature of Pleading Insanity begs you to listen. "This valuable journal includes ... the stumbling mistakes of psychiatric treatment alongside moments of touching clarity and profound grace." --Flint Sparks, PhD, psychologist and Zen teacher "Truly remarkable!" --Lyn Y. Abramson, PhD, professor of psychology




The Eden Express


Book Description

“One of the best books about going crazy . . . required reading for those who want to understand insanity from the inside.”—The New York Times Book Review Mark Vonnegut set out in search of Eden with his VW bug, his girlfriend, his dog, and his ideals. But genetic predisposition and “a whole lot of **** going down” made Mark Vonnegut crazy in a culture that told him “mental illness is a myth” and “schizophrenia is a sane response to an insane society.” Here he tells his story with the eyes that see from the inside out: a moving remembrance of an era and a revealing look at mental illness . . . and getting well again.




The History of My Insanity


Book Description

The memoirs of a 24 year old aspiring actress who turned down many wrong paths that left with bitterness and heartbreak. The History of My Insanity takes a look back at a girls story who became insane through choices and people encountered. --Page 4 of cover.




Memoirs and Madness


Book Description

Memoirs and Madness examines memoir as a literary genre, investigates the creation of Leonid Andreev's posthumous legacy by his contemporaries, and explores the possibility that Andreev, Russia's leading literary figure at the beginning of the twentieth century, suffered from mental illness. Frederick White's primary focus is A Book About Leonid Andreev (1922), the most important collection of memoirs dedicated to the Russian author, presented here in the first English translation. The agendas of the memoirists resulted in portraits that have influenced how Andreev is read and spoken about to the present day. White pays special attention to Andreev's history of mental illness, which the memoirists described with vague terms such as "creative energy" or "inner turmoil." Past scholarship has focused on philosophical and sociological factors in the author's life but this concentration on his mental health provides a fruitful approach to deciphering the literary portraits.







Eugenics Laboratory Memoirs


Book Description




The Complete Works of Mark Twain: Novels, Short Stories, Memoirs, Travel Books, Letters & More (Illustrated)


Book Description

This carefully edited collection has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Contents: Novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Gilded Age The Prince and the Pauper A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court The American Claimant Tom Sawyer Abroad Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc Pudd'nhead Wilson Tom Sawyer, Detective A Horse's Tale The Mysterious Stranger Novelettes A Double Barrelled Detective Story Those Extraordinary Twins The Recent Carnival of Crime in Connecticut The Stolen White Elephant The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven Short Story Collections The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County and Other Sketches Mark Twain's (Burlesque) Autobiography and First Romance Sketches New and Old Merry Tales The £1,000,000 Bank Note and Other New Stories The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories The Curious Republic of Gondour and Other Whimsical Sketches Alonzo Fitz, and Other Stories Mark Twain's Library of Humor Other Stories Essays, Satires & Articles How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays What Is Man? And Other Essays Editorial Wild Oats Letters from the Earth Concerning the Jews To the Person Sitting in Darkness To My Missionary Critics Christian Science Queen Victoria's Jubilee Essays on Paul Bourget The Czar's Soliloquy King Leopold's Soliloquy Adam's Soliloquy Essays on Copyrights Other Essays Travel Books The Innocents Abroad A Tramp Abroad Roughing It Old Times on the Mississippi Life on the Mississippi Following the Equator Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion Down the Rhône The Lost Napoleon Mark Twain's Notebook The Complete Speeches The Complete Letters Autobiography Biographies... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher and lecturer.




The Complete Works of Mark Twain: Novels, Short Stories, Memoirs, Travel Books & More (Illustrated)


Book Description

The Complete Works of Mark Twain: Novels, Short Stories, Memoirs, Travel Books & More (Illustrated) is a comprehensive collection of the iconic author's most famous works. Mark Twain's literary style is characterized by wit, humor, and a keen observation of human nature. This collection includes classics such as 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,' 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,' and 'The Prince and the Pauper,' showcasing Twain's ability to capture the spirit of his time. With its rich storytelling and unforgettable characters, this book is a testament to Twain's enduring legacy in American literature. Mark Twain, born Samuel Clemens, was a renowned American author and humorist known for his sharp wit and social commentary. Twain's personal experiences, including his time as a Mississippi riverboat pilot, greatly influenced his writing and shaped his distinctive storytelling voice. His works continue to resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds, making him a beloved figure in literary history. I highly recommend The Complete Works of Mark Twain to readers who appreciate classic literature and timeless storytelling. Twain's works offer a unique glimpse into 19th-century America while addressing universal themes that remain relevant today. Whether you are a longtime fan of Twain or new to his writing, this collection is sure to captivate and entertain.