Hello! I didn't blog yesterday because it was a very busy day. I'm trying to find a balance between life and blogging...
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Today I am offering a selection of fictitious books containing characters dealing with mental illness. I am not providing a full synopsis for each book. Just click on the title and author to be taken to the appropriate Amazon page.
My recommendations:
1) It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini - I read this book years ago, and I remember enjoying it very much. However, it gained a new life when I went through inpatient hospitalization. Vizzini's details are startlingly accurate.
2) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey - I read this book this year for AP Lit, and it offered me a new appreciation for the quality of psychiatric care that is available now. A classic.
3) Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen - This book also deal withs the relationships patients have in an inpatient facility, specifically a facility for teenage girls. It is especially beautifully written.
4) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - Written in Sylvia Plath's beautifully elegant prose, The Bell Jar is a story of a young woman's psychological breakdown. I love how this book is semi-autobiographical.
5) Cut by Patricia McCormick - A poignant, tasteful look a self-harm. Warning: I found this book to be somewhat triggering.
6) Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs - This is probably the most humorous book on located on this list. Even in dire circumstances, the author manages to find a silver lining. And yes, I am just realizing that now this is a memoir and not a fiction book. Awesome job, Jenna.
7) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - This is such an important story that I read it, my mom read it, and my Nanna read it too. Very empowering and hopeful.
8) Impulse by Ellen Hopkins - Impulse is written in poetry and is a fairly quick read. Don't let it fool you thought. The subject matter is heavy and will stay with you long after you finish.
9) Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson - Anderson does an excellent job of describing the mental and emotional relationship that one develops with an eating disorder. Contains very vivid descriptions. Warning: I found this book very triggering.
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My Friends' Recommendations:
Thank you to Josh, Nikole, Magalie, Aunt Maureen, Chris, Olivia, Nate, Aubrey, Carly, Lisa, Cassie, Connie, Viola, Jack, Leanna, Julia, and Rebecca.
There are more names than suggestions because many people suggested books I had already chosen for my recommendation list. I guess that means they must be good!
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Note: Some of these deal with more developmental disabilities than with mental illness, but I allowed them on the list because these issues still affect people and families. I'm not feeling very politically correct today.
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Happy reading!
