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876 reviews for:
While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence
Meg Kissinger
4.28 AVERAGE
876 reviews for:
While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence
Meg Kissinger
4.28 AVERAGE
Note to self: read more memoirs/biographies written by journalists.
This is the Kissinger family’s story about mental illness in the 1960s, before society recognized mental illness as real. Meg’s father was an alcoholic, her mother admitted to in-patient treatment for depression numerous times, and 2 siblings ended up committing suicide after their own serious mental health issues. Meg, author and journalist, approached telling her and her family’s story from a journalistic perspective, digging into old family records, letters, interviewing her siblings and old family friends, etc. to piece together what was really going on beyond what she remembered from her childhood. It felt both personal to the Kissingers and also like a realistic representation of what it was really like at that time to live with mental illness. I am so grateful that we as a society have evolved our thinking on mental health.
TW: suicide, mental health, substance abuse
This is the Kissinger family’s story about mental illness in the 1960s, before society recognized mental illness as real. Meg’s father was an alcoholic, her mother admitted to in-patient treatment for depression numerous times, and 2 siblings ended up committing suicide after their own serious mental health issues. Meg, author and journalist, approached telling her and her family’s story from a journalistic perspective, digging into old family records, letters, interviewing her siblings and old family friends, etc. to piece together what was really going on beyond what she remembered from her childhood. It felt both personal to the Kissingers and also like a realistic representation of what it was really like at that time to live with mental illness. I am so grateful that we as a society have evolved our thinking on mental health.
TW: suicide, mental health, substance abuse
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
such a personal and real portrayal of mental illness, loved the connections made to issues with the wider mental health system in the US
It is haunting and compelling. An intimate look at the failings of our mental health system--both historically (1970s) and today.
informative
medium-paced
This memoir was very intimate. I thought the first half was slow, but also set a great stage for getting to know the Kissingers. As a person who works in mental health, the second half was more interesting to me, when Meg explores the issues in accessing/receiving psychiatric care.
Definitely recommend!
Definitely recommend!
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
something about this family dynamic drew me i and didnt let go. i think it was the author wrote about their family, it felt factual but also emotional but never condemning them for their faults or struggles
an absolutely incredible work. poignant and baring everything while taking care on deeply sensitive matters
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
inspiring
reflective
sad
Absolutely loved this book, made me reflect on my own family and why some family members (of this age demographic) may be the way that they are. Also loved her reflection on the system and how it often can fail its most vulnerable individuals.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Mental illness, Suicide