July 2022 Mental Health then and now

We are looking for reads about mental health and illness through out history through fiction, narratives, non fiction history and memoirs. For background, this link is from Unite for Sight, which explores how mental illness was treated from ancient times, through state institutions, deinstitutionalization, and lack of funding for care of people with mental illness today.

A Brief History of Mental Illness and the U.S. Mental Health Care System

These are just a few books to look at; many are YA but useful to read since so many kids seem to be suffering today. I have starred books that i have read and recommend, but of course that that with a large shaker of salt. Lots more out there.

FICTION

Turtles All the Way Down

The Perks of Being a Wallflower*

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine*

It's Kind of a Funny Story

The Bell Jar*

The Midnight Library

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*

The Yellow Wall-Paper*

The Silver Linings Playbook*

Ordinary People*

Imagine Me Gone*

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Lisa Bright and Dark*

The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox*

NONFICTION/MEMOIRS

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden*

A Legacy of Madness: Recovering My Family from Generations of Mental Illness

Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason

Madness: A Brief History

A Mind That Found Itself

Operators and Things: The Inner Life of a Schizophrenic

The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic

The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness

Out of her mind women writing on madness*

the professor and the madman*

The color of hope: people of color mental health narratives

prozac nation

the unquiet mind*

>1 cindydavid4:

Fiction:

Antonia White, Beyond the Glass. White's a favorite of Viragoites. All the most important of her original work (she was also a very substantial French-to-English translator) has been re-published in the Virago Modern Classics series, and Frost in May was the very first VMC published. Only problem is, Beyond the Glass is the fourth in a quartet (starting with Frost in May) and you'll have to read the first three books or you won't have the necessary back story.

Emily Holmes Coleman, The Shutter of Snow, also re-published as a VMC. White and Holmes Coleman were friends, more in a penpal kind of way because White lived in England while Holmes Coleman spent the final years of her life resident at the Catholic Worker farm in New York state. This is Holmes Coleman's only literary work; her artistic interest focused more on painting, if I recall correctly.

Both connected by their Roman Catholicism. White's father was a classical language teacher who converted to Rome (I think from Anglicanism), which impeded his academic advancement, and brought his young daughter with him. White left Christianity in early adulthood and then reconverted to Rome some years later.

ETA: Frost in May's my third-favorite novel, after Jane Eyre and The Master and Margarita.

Also, of course, there's Jane Eyre's "madwoman in the attic" and there's Jean Rhys's Wide Saragasso Sea, a prequel in Jane Eyre and a major work of post-colonialism.

"Mad people" were quite a staple of 19th century fiction, as in The woman in white. There's also Der Irre von St. James which I've always wanted to read...

>2 CurrerBell: Mike, I am not familiar with Antonia White. Beyond the Glass that looks very interesting. Guess Ill start with Frost in May. Thanks for those.

BTW your touchstone for beyond the glass is wrong, it shows a fairy tale book! :)

oh how could I forget the madwoman in Jane Eyre!? And yes to the 'prequel' which I loved a well

>4 cindydavid4: OMG thank you! I just think of Beyond the Glass as so well known that it would never have the wrong touchstone. Fixed.

>5 CurrerBell: :)

I visited the Transallegheny Lunatic Asylum with my friend several years ago. It was the ultimate in fascination as well as being abhorrent. I purchased Lunatic: The Rise and Fall of an American Asylum when I was there. It's time to read it!

I have added this topic to our Wiki under "Future Topics".

Someone mentioned Mrs March As a story it was all over the place and I found my self skimming to the expected conclusion. However the way the author presents Mrs March (first name never mentioned) is pure genius. She has a perfect life, until someone comments on her husbands book and how Mrs. March is the unlikable woman character in it. Lots of overthinking here, as she slowly falls into madness. The way this happens is really quite real and believable and for that reason I include it here. Just living inside her head was difficult to read

I’ve started listening to The Woman in White (by Wilkie Collins; narrated by Glen McCready, Rachel Bavidge and others). The protagonist, a drawing instructor, has run into a woman in white who has apparently escaped from an insane asylum. Later, he is employed at a house in the country that has a connection to this woman… I don’t know what the mystery is yet, but everyone is behaving so oddly!

I am going to be reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell.

I’m thinking of reading Lee Smith’s Guests on Earth, set in the mental institution in North Carolina where Zelda Fitzgerald was treated in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s and where she died in a fire that destroyed the facility In 1948.

Just remembered one of my favorite books that must be included this month set this house in order the description here is way too simplistic and has spoilers. About two people who have multiple personalities, and their stories. Lots of twists and turns and surprises here. Ruff writes his characters with empathy and understanding, and makes them come alive. Highly recommended

I think I'm going to go with Don Quijote (so spelled by the Norton Critical Edition).

Cults: Inside the World's Most Notorious Groups... / Max Cutler
3.5 stars

This book, based on a podcast(?), looks at ten cults and their leaders. Only three were ones I knew of, including Charles Manson, Jim Jones, and David Koresh (though I hadn’t ever read anything about Koresh previously). Unexpectedly, there were two that included UFOs! There was plenty of murder to go along with these cults. (Only) one of the leaders walked away from the carnage she left behind. I was interested to read about an actress who was highly involved with one cult. The cults were in various parts of the world, including Mexico, Uganda, Canada, and of course, the USA. (I hadn’t even heard of the guy in Canada – from Quebec – and he was twisted!).

I had hoped to learn more about how people end up following these crazy people, but the book was more a short biography of each of the leaders, in addition to the stories of their respective cults and what happened – how they formed, the people that followed them, and how they combusted. Similar to a book of short stories, I found some more interesting than others.

This list might have more about the whys, from Rolling Stone Sects Appeal: 5 Books About Cults and Why People Join Them I only am familiar with the first one, which is very good.

I read Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker . It was the story of an American family with 12 children; 6 diagnosed with schizophrenia. The writing was stupendous! As to the content, I have big problems with both mom and dad who kept having children and allowed physical and sexual abuse to occur/continue between the siblings. The children that did not have schizophrenia certainly would need therapy for quite sometime. Words to describe this book: horrifying, fascinating, and nauseating. This took place in the 1960's-1970's in what was a middle-class family. The father was in the US Airforce for sometime. Not much known about schizophrenia at all during this period. This was the same tie period that Kathleen Kennedy had a lobotomy. Not for the feint-hearted or for those who want a happy ending. 377 pages 4.5 stars

wasnt there a more recent book about a family with scizophrenia? was it about the same ont?

your mention of Kennedy reminded me of one flew over the cuckoos nest loved the book, and movie both. Not sure I included it in the list above but it certainly would work her

There is also a bio about Kathleen Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter

>19 cindydavid4: read that Kennedy book!

I have completed my read of The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell and I was completely enthralled by this book. The depth of emotion conveyed by the author and the heart break of the story was intense as we read of Esme being released after 60 years of confinement in a mental hospital.

Starvation Heights / Gregg Olsen
4 stars

In 1911, two wealthy sisters who seemed determined to try many different fad “medical” treatments, ended up in Washington State at a sanitarium run by “Dr.” Linda Hazzard, who promoted fasting for all ailments. Not only did her treatment come with fasting (really, she starved them), but with hours-long enemas and beatings, and she managed to convince her patients that this was all helping. Unfortunately for the sisters, Claire and Dora, Claire died. But only after Linda and her husband had both sisters sign various documents granting them control of their money, jewelry, etc. Not only that, on digging deeper, others had also died under this fasting “cure”.

Wow, crazy! It floors me that people would do something like this to begin with, but then to become so brainwashed as to think it was helping as they slowly starved to death. My summary above is only about the first 1/3 of the book… the middle bit of the book was lawyers investigating Dr. Hazzard, and the last 1/3 was the trial. All very interesting, I thought. And this really happened!

>21 DeltaQueen50: I loved it too and thought the ending just perfect. Was bothered by the time line. IIRC she is released in the 90s, when the conditions of institutions was made public in the 60s, 70s and most institutions if not shut down weere made to clean up thier acts. A small thing that doesnt affect the story but it nagged at me abit. Otherwise I agree about the book. She is an incredible writer, and cant wait to read her new one coming out in sept. the marriage portrait (wrong touchstone, cant fine the right one)

This story tells of the history of how people confined to institutions were treated in those days, and unfortunately still are in some places. Its now much more difficult to put someone in an institution, which has caused problems at times when someone in a family is in need of help, and the family can do little about it. Often these people become addicts,homeless, victims of abuse with no access to care or medication. I am glad it would be difficult to put a girl like Esme away now. But I have seen too many families struggle with lack of resources for a family member, and communities seem to be at a loss how to help

>23 cindydavid4: It certainly seems like we have not learned how to strike the right balance when it comes to mental health issues. Well, thinking about it, humans haven't really learned how to strike the right balance with most issues when it comes to dealing with other humans from prisoner rights, to senior issues, children's/orphans' care, we still have a long way to go to actually get it right!

I just completed The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, the raw vulnerability and deep feelings made for a very immersive read, especially knowing the details of the author's life. Of course, it was written beautifully.

I am currently reading a dark nordic mystery so after this and my journey into Mental Health, my next book is going to be a light and frothy romance!!

What a treasure we lost in her death. I read her other books and collection, she really touched me as a college student struggling with mental health issues. ariel was anothere fav

I have finished Im Schatten des Turms which was disappointing. The tower of the title is the first Viennese lunatic asylum which Emperor Joseph II had built, but it plays a very small role in an otherwise tedious romance.

I’ve finished Guests on Earth, which I found fascinating for its portrayal of life at Highland Hospital, a well known and very costly sanatorium in Asheville, N.C. Most of the novel is set there, and most of its characters are hospital staff and patients, many of whom were historical figures. One of the patients, Evalina Toussaint (fictitious), sets out to tell the story of her time at Highland and in particular of her relationship with Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, who was hospitalized there at various times and who in 1948, perished in the hospital’s locked top floor during a disastrous fire. I found the novel readable, in fact compelling at times.

Lee Smith thoroughly researched the background of the hospital and its unusual (for the time) methods of treatment, as well as the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. Highland seemed to take a broad approach to mental health, using shock therapies for the most severely ill, but not lobotomy, although that was a very popular treatment method at the time. All patients whose conditions permitted participated in an orderly schedule of physical activity that included daily hiking and outdoor work around the grounds. The arts were encouraged (music, painting, dancing) through therapy, and “talk therapy” was used. Smith’s “suggested further reading” about Zelda and about Highland Hospital and its founder Dr. Robert Carroll provided at the end has the makings of a pretty deep rabbit hole.

>29 dianelouise100: hee couldnt remember who mentioned that book! thanks for the review

One of the suggested books for this month’s theme was The Perks of Loving a Wallflower. As I had it on my shelves and my reading time this month was limited because I was travelling until mid-month, I chose it. Romances are usually quick reads for me and this was no exception. I do love a happy ending.

This was slightly different from the usual Regency romp as the heroine was a female who spent a lot of her time masquerading as a man. The object of her affections was a bluestocking spinster whose parents wanted to marry her off to a man with a title. It was interesting to see how this story played out.

Um thats interesting; but perhaps I mistyped? the title I was suggesting was 'the perks of being a wallflower an excellent book of a teenager dealing with the suicide of a friend, and trying to find his place in the world. He is taken in by a wonderful assortment of odd HSers. great book, even better movie (tho the actor playing charlie was way too old for that role!)

sorry for the confusion, I'll go back up and fix it.

>32 cindydavid4: No, it was me who misread the title and picked up The Perks of Loving a Wallflower as an easy read. After reading the blurb for The Perks of Being a Wallflower I can see how it fits the theme but, to my eye it doesn't look historical.

If being historical doesn't matter, then another book that I read, The Charm Offensive would fit into the mental health theme. Both of the led characters have multiple mental health challenges, like depression (one of the characters seems bi-polar to me), OCD and anxiety. It definitely isn't historical though as all the action happens around the filming of a reality TV series in which a prince charming selects his princess.

>33 Familyhistorian: heh, its cool! actually, being a wallflower most of my life, i guess I should check it out, romance wise :)

Definitly history belongs here. Im always interested in how mentally ill characters are written in books. Thats changed alot Historically (see what I did there), say before 1980 it was difficult to find a book with a mentally ill character that wasnt filled with stereotypic myths. Over time Im now seeing lots of characters being human, not labeled by a diagnosis but see them in other ways.