An Unquiet Mind

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
Yet another memoir on depression. Jamison's Unquiet Mind specifically explores her life with manic depression--an illness that hits her at the age of 18. What's unique about Jamison's experience is that she has a PhD in Psychology and she has served as the director of the UCLA Affective Disorders Clinic (while also teaching at the university) and a Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In short, she is researching her own disease and helping others cope with their mood disorders.

Jamison's scientific background shows in this book, and although she is a very good writer and does a great job of describing both her manic and depressive periods, much of the novel reads a bit like a medical journal. I'm not convinced she was able to merge the two together so well (her own knowledge of the illness as well as her experiences with it) and I almost wish she'd stuck with just the science behind it. When she does talk about the current research and breakthroughs on manic depression, it's quite interesting. When she's talking about her experiences, she comes across as a bit narcissistic and unlikable (somehow she has been able to have several great loves in her life while dealing with her moods--with very handsome men--her words, not mine). A must-read for anyone who has dealt with this illness, but probably not of interest to anyone else.