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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
50-state challenge: Colorado
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder
challenging
informative
fast-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
informative
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Excellent writing, pacing, storytelling, everything was so good about the way this book was written. Heavy topic for sure but it's clear the writer did his research and is good at his job. It was long but it didn't feel too long. 10/10 would read again!
dark
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Families are complicated systems. And the larger they become, the more complex they become. This story is not just about the hunt to learn more about schizophrenia. It's about survival. It's about how much you can take and continuing moving forward. And it's about how that forward motion can look different for everyone.
It's easy to point fingers at Mimi and Don Galvin and make statements like, "you had twelve kids! What are you insane?" And yet, I've known some folks with big families who are truly close. It's easy to blame the mother for being overbearing, but then, she had twelve kids to look after. How else do you manage to get everything done with that level of responsibility. If Mimi ran the house like it was the army, I don't blame her. And how can one sibling turn their back on their sick brothers and sisters? To that I ask, "have you ever had someone who was completely beyond your control living under your roof?" Mental illness can leave a lot of scars, both emotional and physical.
All I can really say is that Kolker has put together a riveting account of the progress has been made in treating mental illness through the story of this single family. It can be hard to read at times, but it is incredibly interesting. I hope the Galvins all find some measure of peace, for their own sake. We all just need to remember, when we are out in the world, that we never know what the person before us is dealing with at home. We can and should give each other some slack.
If you liked the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. You will probably also like Hidden Valley Road.
It's easy to point fingers at Mimi and Don Galvin and make statements like, "you had twelve kids! What are you insane?" And yet, I've known some folks with big families who are truly close. It's easy to blame the mother for being overbearing, but then, she had twelve kids to look after. How else do you manage to get everything done with that level of responsibility. If Mimi ran the house like it was the army, I don't blame her. And how can one sibling turn their back on their sick brothers and sisters? To that I ask, "have you ever had someone who was completely beyond your control living under your roof?" Mental illness can leave a lot of scars, both emotional and physical.
All I can really say is that Kolker has put together a riveting account of the progress has been made in treating mental illness through the story of this single family. It can be hard to read at times, but it is incredibly interesting. I hope the Galvins all find some measure of peace, for their own sake. We all just need to remember, when we are out in the world, that we never know what the person before us is dealing with at home. We can and should give each other some slack.
If you liked the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. You will probably also like Hidden Valley Road.
challenging
informative
sad
medium-paced
emotional
informative