The Outsider: A Journey Into My Father's Struggle With Madness

by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer

The Outsider is an unsentimental yet profoundly moving look at one family’s experience with mental illness. In 1978, Charles Lachenmeyer was a happily married professor of sociology who lived in the New York suburbs with his wife and nine-year-old son, Nathaniel. But within a few short years, schizophrenia–a devastating mental illness with no known cure–would cost him everything: his sanity, his career, his family, even the roof over his head. Upon learning of his father’s death in 1995, Nathaniel set out to search for the truth behind his father’s haunted, solitary existence. Rich in imagery and poignant symbolism, The Outsider is a beautifully written memoir of a father’s struggle to survive with dignity, and a son’s struggle to know the father he lost to schizophrenia long before he finally lost him to death.

The Outsider is a recipient of the Kenneth Johnson Memorial Research Library Book Award and is the winner of the 2000 Bell of Hope Award, presented annually by the Mental Health Association of Philadelphia to honor “significant and far-reaching contributions benefiting those facing the challenge of mental illness.”

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Biography, Memoir, Biography Memoir, School

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man goes from being a professor to being homeless and dying alone and forgotten, abandoned in a dingy apartment. A very sad story of a brilliant man's struggle with insanity, which ultimately led to his early demise. If you are interested in mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, this is a must read.

[Brig · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I tried to read this book a couple of times. I hate to say it was uninteresting, slow, and so my attention went elsewhere while reading... I can understand (on the surface only, because this book was not well written) that the Author went through a very tough time as a child/adult with a Father that had left him because the Father suffered from Schizophrenia, but getting the emotional depth of it all across to the reader (me) was completely lost after the first two chapters. I didn't want to hear about the Father's accomplishments over and over. It was/is sad that such an accomplished man came to have such a serious Mental Illness, but then to downplay the Mental Illness itself made the book fall flat. It seemed as if the Author was asking questions to find out the reason "Why?" his Father had Schizophrenia. Sometimes the answer, whether we like it or not, is just "BECAUSE". I could feel for the Author a bit, but didn't feel for the person who this Mental Illness was actually happening to, he was spiraling down into madness, yet I didn't want to go along for the ride... :( 2 Stars

[Deborah Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a daughter of a man with schizoaffective disorder, I found this book very compelling. My family's story is not the same as his, but many of the experiences of mental illness in the family are explored. I really liked the book for what I suppose were personal reasons. It also helps explain how people end up homeless.

[Elsimom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Son of schizophrenic father retraces his father’s steps and delusions after the father’s death. Gives a very interesting glimpse into the challenges faced by the mentally ill and homeless. However, the group felt that critical pieces of the story were missing. Worth considering.

[Mary Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in college and it's stuck with me ever since. A fascinating exploration about the link between homelessness and schizophrenia.

[Jessica Hollister]

I don’t read nonfiction typically so it’s hard to give a review because it’s someone’s *life*. The man wrote about his father’s journey with schizophrenia and it was v interesting, and I learned a lot about the effects of developing schizophrenia. I don’t know anyone I’m aware of having this diagnosis so it was informative. Keeps it in my mind that I need to pick new words in place of “crazy” and “insane”. I don’t think I can give it a rating! That seems unfair

[Mary Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This touched, and broke my heart, in so many ways. I have a son with schizophrenia and it has been a heartbreaking journey. His delusions are so similar to your father's. He also is writing a book that will make him millions. He was, is so incredibly smart and such a caring soul, when his illness does not consume his mind. Thank you for sharing your journey with your dear father. As a mother who has watched her son go down this path, most appreciated.

[Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“No matter how adverse the circumstances — and mine have been adverse — there is never any reason to give up.”

[Sheila Karr · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was very compelling. Too much about the father's sociology writing. Would have been so interesting to hear mother's take.

[Heather]

Meh. Memoir about a dude whose dad was schizophrenic. Should be right up my alley. Somehow got a little more clinical and theoretical and less "this was my experience." Mostly because his parents got divorced when he was young and he had very little personal interaction with him afterwards (for understandable reasons). So the book is more about a discovery/theorizing about what his dad was look and a launching point to analyze things about mental illness and how that works in the world, and symbols of things like, "oh those scary homeless people you see." Which is fine, but I want what it's like from the inside, and when I found myself skimming big chunks I decided it was put it down time. Ah well.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely held my interest for awhile. A book to read in bed because I could put it down. What a tragedy for a family. So, was the cause of his father's schizophrenia the double bind? It probably exaserbatd his issues, but isn't schizophrenia genetic or at least organic in origin?

With 1/3 of all homeless being mentally ill, he brings up an excellent point in why more research is not done in this area.

Does this author write as part of his need to understand his father as well as his guilt? I would think he is also looking for the genetic component in himself.

[Giang Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book purposely after watching A beautiful mind (maybe a little too late?) The take-home messages were clear: we're passing by a perhaps bigger than we know (and care to know) population suffering from mental illness, without rightfully acknowledging that they are or used to be among us, with their own stories to be told. The best thought we could afford when we see a homeless talking to him/herself on the street might be "He/she is mad." Madness is a label and if we're satisfied with labelling people that way we explore and understand them no further

[Reina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I'm finally done with the book after I took a break from reading it for a month. I never know a lot about schizophrenia, but after reading this book I feel like I have a lot more comprehensive idea of what its like to be affected by schizophrenia. Whether you're the one diagnosed, a relative or child, or someone who encounters them on the street, or are in the legal or mental health care system.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir both shocks, and also has lighter moments that are funny, and LOL. The memoir is of 2 dysfunctional families. The hole in the roof moments is the best bit about he whole memoir. Letting your kids free, and be free spirited. It shows how adult madness and dispair affects children, and how some parents deal with their own issues.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A memoir about a son's investigation into his father's downfall due to paranoid schizophrenia. A poignant look at the travails of the mentally ill in this country that made me think twice on subfreezing winter nights when I get to go inside a nice warm home.

[Lorie Kleiner Eckert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wrenching true story.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives you an entirely new outlook on the life of people with mental illness, and makes you thankful for what you have!!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting retelling of a fathers struggle with mental illness

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

dad is a sociology prof at a university. then he slowly loses his mind, his family and his life. written by his estranged son who wonders "what happened?" powerful. good explanation of craziness.

[Keeya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book honestly tugged at my heart.