(8-4-17) Books, books and more books. Summer is the time for reading, especially if you are at the beach. Here are several books for you to consider. Feel free to add your own on my Facebook page.
Mental Illness
Everyone is taking about No One Cares About Crazy People: The Chaos and Heartbreak of Mental Health in America by Ron Powers. He drew a big and well-deserved crowd at NAMI’s national convention when he spoke about his book, which combines the history of mental illness with his own family’s story. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review, signifying its quality.
”Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Powers (Mark Twain: A Life, 2005, etc.) presents two searing sagas: an indictment of mental health care in the United States and the story of his two sons with schizophrenia …. This hybrid narrative, enhanced by the author’s considerable skills as a literary stylist, succeeds on every level.”
The New York Times Book Review raved:
“Extraordinary and courageous . . . No doubt if everyone were to read this book, the world would change.”
STORIES FROM THE SHADOWS: Reflections of A Street Doctor by Dr. James J. O’Connell remains the best book that I’ve ever read about a kind-hearted street doctor helping the homeless.
“This volume instantly and irrevocably transports you into a fascinating universe of individuals usually invisible to us… often faceless and nameless, lost in plain sight, and forced to live on the fringes of society. But this volume makes unforgettable those who are usually forgotten. The riveting stories presented here capture each life in such moving and vivid detail that you will be forever changed.”
COMMITTED: The Battle Over Involuntary Psychiatric Care by Drs. Dinah Miller and Annette Hanson educates readers about the never-ending argument sparked by Assisted Outpatient Treatment and involuntary care. An important book that puts human faces on the civil rights vs forced care debate.
“In Committed, psychiatrists Dinah Miller and Annette Hanson offer a thought-provoking and engaging account of the controversy surrounding involuntary psychiatric care in the United States. They bring the issue to life with first-hand accounts from patients, clinicians, advocates, and opponents. Looking at practices such as seclusion and restraint, involuntary medication, and involuntary electroconvulsive therapy―all within the context of civil rights―Miller and Hanson illuminate the personal consequences of these controversial practices through voices of people who have been helped by the treatment they had as well as those who have been traumatized by it.”
INSANE CONSEQUENCES: How the Mental Health Industry Fails the Mentally Ill by D.J. Jaffe is a thoroughly researched attack on the status quo and those who profit from it while demanding that more attention be paid to serious disorders.
“DJ Jaffe blames the mental health industry and the government for shunning the 10 million adults who are the most seriously mentally ill–mainly those who suffer from schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder–and, instead, working to improve “mental wellness” in 43 million others, many of whom are barely symptomatic.”
UPDATE: On Friday afternoon (8-4), a spokesperson for Rep. Tim Murphy (R.-Pa.) issued the following statement about Dr. McCance-Katz’s confirmation.
