This is a book review of sorts but also an inspiration for my next novel. This was a required reading for my memoir and personal essay class, it was unlike anything I had ever read before. Ironic since I have a father who is a paranoid schizophrenic. Perhaps I had skipped over those books for fear of what might come from gaining more knowledge. The author is bi-polar but also one of the leading doctors in that field providing an intense juxtaposition of the struggle. I encourage everyone to read this book whether or not you are directly linked to mental illness because it opens a new level of understanding for the human condition. She offers brutally honest moments and medical analysis. It is encouraging to see mental illness more wildly discussed in the public forum which is why I am going to share my experiences with the world. I know I am not alone in this struggle and I want other people to feel the same way.