zsommers's reviews
272 reviews

Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages: Third Edition by Haddon W. Robinson

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challenging informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

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funny slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Pardon My Psychosis: To the Edge of Insanity and Back by James Coast

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challenging dark funny hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

God put it on my heart to create a bridge of understanding between those who suffer and those who have never seen the pain below the surface of a hurting smile.

After a few introductory paragraphs, Pardon My Psychosis dives directly into the narrative that will comprise all but one of the book’s sixteen chapters. The story reads almost like a stream of consciousness, relating the experience of a continuous stretch of time from the first hints of mental illness all the way to Coast’s eventual return to his everyday life with the aid of ongoing psychiatric treatment. Along the way, we see his demons appear before his eyes, we hear the thoughts that arise of “God’s” grand plan for Coast as an agent of his will, and we feel his joy and fear as he tries to understand what implications that plan has for what he should do in his work, family, and church life.

What stands out in this book is the storytelling. From the first chapter, the author immerses you in his experience with first-person narration and complete focus on the events he’s describing. The only digressions are those he experienced in the course of his delusions, and they contribute to the feeling that this story is an authentic account of what happened. When the present-day, recovered James slips his thoughts in, it's often to make a subtly humorous quip before falling effortlessly back into the stream of events. He really is quite funny, and tasteful in his sparing application of humor where appropriate.

While he's a great storyteller, I wouldn't describe Coast as a great writer. The prose isn't particularly good, with occasional awkward word choice (“caffeine-free coffee” instead of “decaf”?) and strange syntax. That said, one could argue that the simplicity of the writing makes the story more accessible to, for example, younger audiences. It wasn't what I've come to expect from memoir in general, though.

Judging from the blurb and the first few paragraphs, I had expected much more analysis and reflection on these experiences than there actually was. In hindsight, I think saving the analysis for the final chapter was a good choice, though perhaps the marketing copy should have focused more on the narrative portion of the book to reflect that. Another impression one might get from this book’s marketing is that it's exclusively suited for a Christian audience. I think anyone broadly interested in the experience of mental illness would benefit from reading this firsthand account of mania and psychosis, provided they aren't dissuaded by the religious content of that psychosis.

If you're interested in the lived experience of severe mental illness, Pardon My Psychosis is definitely worth picking up. Its flaws are more than outweighed by the immersiveness and authenticity with which Coast presents his experience. If the details of serious mental illness aren't something you're particularly interested in, it may be best to seek out another book.

I received free access to an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Content Warnings