First published 2015
Patrick J. Kennedy opens his story on May 5, 2006, when two New York Times headlines changed his life forever. The Rhode Island congressman had crashed his car into a Capitol barrier, and hours later he publicly admitted his addiction to prescription painkillers and bipolar disorder for the first time. Kennedy expected this moment might end his political career. Instead, it launched his mission to transform how America treats mental illness and addiction. The youngest son of Senator Ted Kennedy takes readers through his recovery journey while fighting to pass the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. He challenges the American tendency to hide mental illness as family secrets. Kennedy argues that his personal struggles cannot be separated from his political work. Written with healthcare journalist Stephen Fried, the book maps out Kennedy's vision for mental health policy reform and calls for greater empathy toward those suffering from brain diseases.
Genres: mental-health, addiction, political-science, politics, social-issues, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-is-political, recovery-journey
Setting: Capitol, Rhode Island
Period: 2006
432 pages · Hardcover · Blue Rider Press
Content warnings: addiction, mental-illness