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bubbelbellie's review against another edition
funny
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Esmé Weijun Wang describes how it is to live with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, through various vignettes where she recalls her lived experience: from the struggle of getting a diagnosis which then doesn't completely cover the symptoms, to finding ways to cope with the most unsettling delusions.
I found it a great way to learn more about the collected schizophrenic disorders. Wang's writing style is to the point, easy to understand, insightfully personal and at times quite funny.
I primarily read this book to mark trigger warnings for my partner so they could proceed with this book in an informed way. Of those triggers, there were lots. Going into the book, certain experiences TWinvoluntary hospitalization can't be left out, but it would have been better to have them collected in their own chapter, so the people who don't want to read about them can avoid them. I appreciate the fact that the author did do this for a topic that was very triggering for me to read, and which I had to skip altogether a fe pages in. That chapter is called "John Doe, Psychosis" and goes into TW rape and pedophilia in a graphic way.
Advice for people looking to read this book but who know it might be triggering:
TWIf you are looking to read this book, but know the topic of involuntary hospitalization might be triggering, have a friend read through it first and mark the personal accounts before you do so. Throughout the whole book, Wang provides short, but personal and graphic recallings of her own involuntary hospitalizations.
If I have the time and energy I'll experiment with providing a list of trigger warnings for this book, with page numbers, but it's honestly generally not a safe read. I believe it to be in the authors right to write about these topics, of course, but I think it could've been handled more carefully. There is no use of trigger warnings in the book. I would think a core part of the audience interested in this book is suffering with similar experiences this book details, so it's sad that the book didn't make an effort to be a safe read for that audience.
At times I found the stories in the vignettes boring when I didn't see the connection to the overarching theme of the chapter (yet). When I did though, I found this style of writing fresh and engaging, leaving a certain effort to the audience to link the stories together. I think this book is a succes as a memoir, but lacks in (what I am more interested in) scientific explanation. I know schizophrenia is not a well understood disorder, but I left this read with about as much scientific understanding as I went into it. On the other hand, Wang's personal approach was engaging and informative in its own right.
In conclusion: a good (albeit unsafe) read on one persons experience with schizoaffective disorder.
I found it a great way to learn more about the collected schizophrenic disorders. Wang's writing style is to the point, easy to understand, insightfully personal and at times quite funny.
I primarily read this book to mark trigger warnings for my partner so they could proceed with this book in an informed way. Of those triggers, there were lots. Going into the book, certain experiences TW
Advice for people looking to read this book but who know it might be triggering:
TW
If I have the time and energy I'll experiment with providing a list of trigger warnings for this book, with page numbers, but it's honestly generally not a safe read. I believe it to be in the authors right to write about these topics, of course, but I think it could've been handled more carefully. There is no use of trigger warnings in the book. I would think a core part of the audience interested in this book is suffering with similar experiences this book details, so it's sad that the book didn't make an effort to be a safe read for that audience.
At times I found the stories in the vignettes boring when I didn't see the connection to the overarching theme of the chapter (yet). When I did though, I found this style of writing fresh and engaging, leaving a certain effort to the audience to link the stories together. I think this book is a succes as a memoir, but lacks in (what I am more interested in) scientific explanation. I know schizophrenia is not a well understood disorder, but I left this read with about as much scientific understanding as I went into it. On the other hand, Wang's personal approach was engaging and informative in its own right.
In conclusion: a good (albeit unsafe) read on one persons experience with schizoaffective disorder.
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
orndal's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
3.0
The essays are okay, but they are psuedo-intellectual at times. wangs persistent provlem is her sheer unlikeability - there is absolutely no charisma. She dabbles in interesting topics, but those stories give way to her less than ideal anecdotes.
Quoting solsnit and sontag she makes sure the reader knows what she is trying to accomplish, but placing herself in their company does her a great disservice.
Quoting solsnit and sontag she makes sure the reader knows what she is trying to accomplish, but placing herself in their company does her a great disservice.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Medical content, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Cancer