First published 1995
Kay Redfield Jamison was a gifted young professor when manic depression struck, plunging her into the "dark land" of mania and the "desert of depression." In this unflinching account, she reveals her struggle to understand and master the illness that has shaped her life. With candor and wit, Jamison takes us on a journey through the exhilarating highs and devastating lows of her condition, from the onset of symptoms in her teens to her determined quest to become a world-renowned expert on the subject. Vividly depicting the realities of living with a mental illness, this moving memoir offers hope and inspiration to all those affected by the challenges of the human mind.
Genres: mental-health, autobiography, mental-illness, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: overcoming-adversity, personal-growth
Setting: United States
224 pages · Paperback · Vintage
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness