First published 1990
In the summer of 1985, acclaimed novelist William Styron is gripped by a debilitating depression. As his mental state deteriorates, he's hospitalized and grapples with suicidal thoughts. Styron's vivid, unflinching account traces his arduous journey through the abyss of despair, offering rare insight into the realities of living with clinical depression. Yet, even in his darkest moments, a flicker of possibility for recovery keeps him going. Styron's powerful message reminds us that the human spirit can endure even the most devastating emotional trials.
Genres: biography, psychology, mental-health, autobiography, mental-illness, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Setting: United States
Period: 1985
84 pages · Hardcover · Random House
Content warnings: depression, suicidal-ideation, suicide