magimagdalene finished reading Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
The heartrending story of a midcentury American family with twelve children, six of them diagnosed …
Content warning Mentions of trigger warnings towards topics included in book.
A truly heart wrenching and compassionate book that covers the lives of a large family with 6 of their 12 children struggling with Schizophrenia.
This book may be difficult for some to read due to themes of CSA, suicide, self-harm, institutionalization, religious trauma, physical and medical abuse, etc. However, if you are someone who wants insight into the complex dynamics of large families and mental illness, the story is well worth the read.
Robert Kolker has done spectacular work in gathering the stories of this family and the professionals who made it their life's work to understand the complex illness that Schizophrenia is.
There are so many beautiful moments where I found myself laughing and crying, as well as enraged by what these people had to endure. It was an emotional journey that will further contribute to my own understanding of mental illness and the lives it impacts.