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Madness: a Memoir
Madness is a real world for the many thousands of people who are right now living within it. It never apologises. Sometimes it is a shadow, ever present, without regard for the sun. Sometimes it is a well of dark water with no bottom, or a levitation device to the stars.
Madness, a memoir is an insight into what it's like to live with psychosis over a period of ten years, in which bouts of acute illness are interspersed with periods of sanity. The world is beautiful and terrifying and sometimes magical. The sanctity of life is at times precious and at times precarious and always fragile. It's a story of learning to manage illness with courage and creativity, of achieving balance and living well. It is for everyone now living within the world of madness, for everyone touched by this world, and for everyone seeking to further his or her understanding of it, whether you think of madness as a biological illness of the brain or an understandable part of the continuum of the human condition.
Madness, a memoir is an insight into what it's like to live with psychosis over a period of ten years, in which bouts of acute illness are interspersed with periods of sanity. The world is beautiful and terrifying and sometimes magical. The sanctity of life is at times precious and at times precarious and always fragile. It's a story of learning to manage illness with courage and creativity, of achieving balance and living well. It is for everyone now living within the world of madness, for everyone touched by this world, and for everyone seeking to further his or her understanding of it, whether you think of madness as a biological illness of the brain or an understandable part of the continuum of the human condition.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2013
38 people are currently reading
2516 people want to read
About the author
Kate Richards
1 book57 followershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Ri...
'Madness: a memoir' is published by Penguin Books Australia, available as an e-book and in print.
'Madness' won the 2014 Adelaide Festival Awards Non-fiction Prize and the Nita B Kibble Awards Début Author Prize. It was shortlisted for the ABIA Biography of the Year, Queensland Literary Awards Non-fiction Prize and the ABDA design award for non-fiction.
http://www.penguin.com.au/products/97...
https://www.penguin.com.au/products/9... - shortlisted for the Australian Human Rights Award for Literature 2014.
'Madness: a memoir' is published by Penguin Books Australia, available as an e-book and in print.
'Madness' won the 2014 Adelaide Festival Awards Non-fiction Prize and the Nita B Kibble Awards Début Author Prize. It was shortlisted for the ABIA Biography of the Year, Queensland Literary Awards Non-fiction Prize and the ABDA design award for non-fiction.
http://www.penguin.com.au/products/97...
https://www.penguin.com.au/products/9... - shortlisted for the Australian Human Rights Award for Literature 2014.
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on-hold
February 26, 2019Holy crap, you guys... that opening!
In the beginning we were a single pluripotent embryo that was so burst-full of genetic potential it considered becoming two embryos and then part way through this most delicate of processes, changed its mind. We were born in the deepest part of the night when the moon was dark and the clouds low, Venus and Mars were obscured and the stars stopped blinking for a whole heartbeat. Now, if we turn our heads in to the right or left as far as they'll go - thirty degrees - and look to the right or to the left till our eyes ache, we can see each other's cheek.
But not each other's eyes.
February 12, 2020
After hearing Toni Jordan praise this memoir on The Book Club last night, I immediately got hold of a sample and read the first chapter or so. Now I understand Jennifer Byrne's reaction to the first page, as I read it with one hand to my chest as if to slow down my heartbeat. I can't wait to read this book in its entirety when I have a couple of days with no expected interruptions.
**********************************
Six years later:-
It was every bit as raw, powerful and eye-opening as I expected. Kate Richards has laid herself completely bare for the reader in the hope of bringing a greater level of understanding to the insidious disease that is mental illness.
The book covers a period of about 6 years, following Kate's journey through therapy, medication adjustments and a number of hospitalisations between the ages of 26 and 31. However, she explains at the outset that the timeline is one thing she has changed for narrative purposes - condensing some periods and stretching others. The other thing she has changed is a number of the characters' names and/or genders for privacy reasons. The rest is her life as a young, highly educated and qualified woman, from a good, ordinary, supportive family, who becomes trapped in what is frequently a nightmare of major depression and psychosis (her actual diagnosis is never absolutely defined). But it's not all grim because Kate is lucky enough to have some wonderful people in her life, helping her to try to be 'normal'.
I am left completely in awe of this woman and what she has been able to achieve; a kind of triumph over her own mind.
Although some - actually many - parts of this book are difficult to read, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to gain some insight or improve their understanding of what it's like to suffer from mental illness.
**********************************
Six years later:-
It was every bit as raw, powerful and eye-opening as I expected. Kate Richards has laid herself completely bare for the reader in the hope of bringing a greater level of understanding to the insidious disease that is mental illness.
The book covers a period of about 6 years, following Kate's journey through therapy, medication adjustments and a number of hospitalisations between the ages of 26 and 31. However, she explains at the outset that the timeline is one thing she has changed for narrative purposes - condensing some periods and stretching others. The other thing she has changed is a number of the characters' names and/or genders for privacy reasons. The rest is her life as a young, highly educated and qualified woman, from a good, ordinary, supportive family, who becomes trapped in what is frequently a nightmare of major depression and psychosis (her actual diagnosis is never absolutely defined). But it's not all grim because Kate is lucky enough to have some wonderful people in her life, helping her to try to be 'normal'.
I am left completely in awe of this woman and what she has been able to achieve; a kind of triumph over her own mind.
Although some - actually many - parts of this book are difficult to read, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to gain some insight or improve their understanding of what it's like to suffer from mental illness.
February 10, 2013
Kate Richards is a trained medical doctor who works in medical research. She is also, to paraphrase her in this book, "mad".
This book takes the reader on a journey through her episodes of psychosis and self harm, through mania and a quest to find a useful psychologist and psychiatrist, as well as the medication and skills Richards needs in order to manage her illness.
This is one of the most beautiful, heart wrenching and painful memoirs of mental illness I have read.
Richards is a beautiful writer, and uses her skill to describe her illness in sometimes gut churning detail, especially in regards to the periods of self harm she goes through (the book, for example, opens as she tries to amputate her own arm in a period of psychosis).
My main thoughts upon finishing this book are these:
As a society, we are not looking after those who are mentally ill the way we should. Richards describes mentally ill people being refused treatment at a hospital after they have self injured (or sub-standard care being provided as "punishment" by emergency room doctors). There is help there, but the patient almost needs to be an advocate for themselves to get it, which many people in the depths of psychosis are unable to do.
How much difference a good psychologist or psychiatrist can make to a patient. I think it takes a very particular type of person to be able to work well in these fields, and it's clear that if Richards hadn't found a psychologist she could work well with (which seems to basically be a matter of chancing upon the right one, after going through the wrong ones, who can be damaging), she very likely wouldn't be alive today.
I don't know if there are answers to these issues, and Richards herself doesn't begin to try to find any. But the issues are there, and it makes me wonder how many people are suffering in silence with mental illness, or are made sicker by medical professionals.
Truly an amazing book. I'd recommend anyone who has an interest in mental health to give it a read.
This book takes the reader on a journey through her episodes of psychosis and self harm, through mania and a quest to find a useful psychologist and psychiatrist, as well as the medication and skills Richards needs in order to manage her illness.
This is one of the most beautiful, heart wrenching and painful memoirs of mental illness I have read.
Richards is a beautiful writer, and uses her skill to describe her illness in sometimes gut churning detail, especially in regards to the periods of self harm she goes through (the book, for example, opens as she tries to amputate her own arm in a period of psychosis).
My main thoughts upon finishing this book are these:
As a society, we are not looking after those who are mentally ill the way we should. Richards describes mentally ill people being refused treatment at a hospital after they have self injured (or sub-standard care being provided as "punishment" by emergency room doctors). There is help there, but the patient almost needs to be an advocate for themselves to get it, which many people in the depths of psychosis are unable to do.
How much difference a good psychologist or psychiatrist can make to a patient. I think it takes a very particular type of person to be able to work well in these fields, and it's clear that if Richards hadn't found a psychologist she could work well with (which seems to basically be a matter of chancing upon the right one, after going through the wrong ones, who can be damaging), she very likely wouldn't be alive today.
I don't know if there are answers to these issues, and Richards herself doesn't begin to try to find any. But the issues are there, and it makes me wonder how many people are suffering in silence with mental illness, or are made sicker by medical professionals.
Truly an amazing book. I'd recommend anyone who has an interest in mental health to give it a read.
February 22, 2019
Astonishing writing and a beautiful book. Kate Richards is among Australia's best and most original writers.
April 30, 2013
The literal meaning of psychiatry is healing of the soul. Kate Richards bravely lays bare her own soul and takes us on a journey deep into the inner workings of her fragmented mind. Although plagued by the demons of depression since her late teens she managed to complete high school and then go on the finish a medical degree with honors from Monash University before completely succumbing to psychosis that eventually sees her institutionalized. During her periods of complete madness she would live on a diet of chocolate, booze, pills and cigarettes. She would not sleep, she would wear layer upon layer of clothing in an attempt to cover her shame, she would cut herself, burn herself with incense sticks, cigarettes and acid, anything to distract her from the pain that was coming from inside her head. And all the while she still managed to mostly turn up for work as a medical writer and appear, for most of the time, to be coping normally.
It was 16 years of suffering before she met the psychologist who Kate attributes with saving her life. Winsome Thomas was the first therapist she learned to trust and it is with her that she is able to slowly unravel the layers of her damaged psyche. This is not a self indulgent account nor is it a poor me account. It is simply a book about a woman’s experience with madness told honestly and with startling clarity. I loved this book and could not put it down. Kate is testament to the fact that sufferers of mental illness with the right treatment can live perfectly normal and productive lives but the road to recovery is far from easy. An amazing woman and an amazing read.
It was 16 years of suffering before she met the psychologist who Kate attributes with saving her life. Winsome Thomas was the first therapist she learned to trust and it is with her that she is able to slowly unravel the layers of her damaged psyche. This is not a self indulgent account nor is it a poor me account. It is simply a book about a woman’s experience with madness told honestly and with startling clarity. I loved this book and could not put it down. Kate is testament to the fact that sufferers of mental illness with the right treatment can live perfectly normal and productive lives but the road to recovery is far from easy. An amazing woman and an amazing read.
February 23, 2013
This book resonated so deeply within my heart that it shattered me into a million little pieces while still holding me close like a mother rocking her baby in her arms for the first time.
Raw, brutal, poignant, bittersweet.
Every counsellor, therapist, mental health nurse, psychologist, Emergency Room registrar, GP and psychiatrist should have to read this book. Everyone should have to read this book.
Raw, brutal, poignant, bittersweet.
Every counsellor, therapist, mental health nurse, psychologist, Emergency Room registrar, GP and psychiatrist should have to read this book. Everyone should have to read this book.
March 10, 2013
Raw, poetic, deeply intimate and illuminating - all words that seem to appropriately describe this terrifying and yet incredibly beautiful novel. The author Kate Richards has lived with the disruptive effects of mental illness for over a decade. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to suffer through a psychotic episode, and how that would impact on day to day life, I highly recommend this book. I've never read anything quite like it.
April 12, 2013
What a fantastic, courageous book. Thank you Kate Richards for sharing your story. This memoir details Kate's 15 some year journey to arriving at a point of being able to manage her severe mental illness.
Kate's mind became inhabited by destructive living, breathing, talking "personalities" a the age of 16. Despite this she does well at school and completes 6 years of medical training to qualify as a doctor. Thereafter a series of psychotic crises occur whilst she tries to negotiate some kind of path to management of her illness. This despite the fact that, by it's very nature, her mental illness means that it takes a long time and careful, honest, caring counselling to accept that she indeed has an illness.
Her writing is honest, bold, courageous, and poetic. She finds solace in literature, art and music. It's also a sobering reminder that mental illness is not selective. This book really opened my eyes to what it might feel like to suffer mental illness, how difficult life becomes and how easily a crisis could spiral to death, despite having friends and family for support.
Not a comfortable read, but a highly recommended one.
Kate's mind became inhabited by destructive living, breathing, talking "personalities" a the age of 16. Despite this she does well at school and completes 6 years of medical training to qualify as a doctor. Thereafter a series of psychotic crises occur whilst she tries to negotiate some kind of path to management of her illness. This despite the fact that, by it's very nature, her mental illness means that it takes a long time and careful, honest, caring counselling to accept that she indeed has an illness.
Her writing is honest, bold, courageous, and poetic. She finds solace in literature, art and music. It's also a sobering reminder that mental illness is not selective. This book really opened my eyes to what it might feel like to suffer mental illness, how difficult life becomes and how easily a crisis could spiral to death, despite having friends and family for support.
Not a comfortable read, but a highly recommended one.
March 28, 2016
The inner side of madness, the side not visible to those who aren't mad, the side that not many talk about, not even doctors who treat madness as they themselves have a very vague idea about that it's like to be mad and to try to get well. It will make you wince and it will make you think twice next time you're tempted to dismiss someone as simply mad.
February 17, 2019
This is a really unusual book - the conjoined twins are strange and brilliant but they have a lot of heart too. I think their dialogue is what makes it the best thing I've read in a while.
April 17, 2013
Just finished it. Excellent book that resonated on a personal level. Will write more when it's digested.
----- a few days have passed -----
I devoured this book after hearing about it on ABC Book Club. I think it took 4 days to read which is pretty fast for me.
Mental illness is a part of my family fabric. Bipolar, schizophrenia, clinical depression, personality disorders - all terms I know well as do the members of my immediate and extended family. 'It' is in our blood - much in the same way that my Mum says salt water is in our blood because my grandad was a tug boat captain. 'It' is there, always, waiting, lurking. It's been a few years since I have had to visit a loved one in hospital and I pray that this dry spell continues for a long time.
I personally have never experienced psychosis but I have seen it first hand and have had deal with it. It's never the same for the people that are passively viewing it. We're watching it and judging it with rational minds but reading Kate Richards write about her psychosis was cathartic in a sense. It's such an emotionally draining experience for the onlookers and I know it's equally as frustrating for the people that are living it. I've never read anyone put the experience into words before and that, for me, is life changing.
I found myself becoming invested in Kate's journey through her illness. I found myself sighing when she self medicated or cut dosages because I know what happens when you do that. Read this book if you're interested in mental illness. Read this book if you have a loved one suffering through it. It will give you new insight.
This book fills me with hope. I hope it does the same for you.
----- a few days have passed -----
I devoured this book after hearing about it on ABC Book Club. I think it took 4 days to read which is pretty fast for me.
Mental illness is a part of my family fabric. Bipolar, schizophrenia, clinical depression, personality disorders - all terms I know well as do the members of my immediate and extended family. 'It' is in our blood - much in the same way that my Mum says salt water is in our blood because my grandad was a tug boat captain. 'It' is there, always, waiting, lurking. It's been a few years since I have had to visit a loved one in hospital and I pray that this dry spell continues for a long time.
I personally have never experienced psychosis but I have seen it first hand and have had deal with it. It's never the same for the people that are passively viewing it. We're watching it and judging it with rational minds but reading Kate Richards write about her psychosis was cathartic in a sense. It's such an emotionally draining experience for the onlookers and I know it's equally as frustrating for the people that are living it. I've never read anyone put the experience into words before and that, for me, is life changing.
I found myself becoming invested in Kate's journey through her illness. I found myself sighing when she self medicated or cut dosages because I know what happens when you do that. Read this book if you're interested in mental illness. Read this book if you have a loved one suffering through it. It will give you new insight.
This book fills me with hope. I hope it does the same for you.
July 17, 2019
I'm twenty-eight, mostly ordinary. Normal childhood and all that, um, I'm an only child. Grew up on a farm. Both parents alive and well. I live on my own. No children because I'm afraid I'd be a dreadful parent. I work and... I'm crazy about wilderness and all kinds of music and feline personalities and I'm a peacenik, or a wanker whichever way you choose to look at it. That's it really. Oh, and I hate – I mean hate as in wish to kill – pretty much everything about me. I guess you should know that.
This book is devastatingly visceral as it captures the unbearable torment of mental illness. From episodes of mania to acts of self-harm, down to difficulties with the most basic acts of order that the well are gifted with – eating, bathing, working and sleeping.
Richards is uncompromisingly honest in recounting the battle with her brain, and every sentence weeps under the weight of her exquisite writing. This is an unforgettable read that will focus your understanding and empathy.
This book is devastatingly visceral as it captures the unbearable torment of mental illness. From episodes of mania to acts of self-harm, down to difficulties with the most basic acts of order that the well are gifted with – eating, bathing, working and sleeping.
Richards is uncompromisingly honest in recounting the battle with her brain, and every sentence weeps under the weight of her exquisite writing. This is an unforgettable read that will focus your understanding and empathy.
November 16, 2016
Gosh I've found myself a sobbing mess at the end of this book. The raw emotions and honesty shown by Kate while describing her very long battle with depression and psychosis are confronting, and well worth reflecting on.
I can't help but put myself in the shoes of her parents, or her work colleagues, friends etc. because we have all come across those "crazy" people who just can't get their shit together. But that is just the problem, they CAN'T get it together which is very different to WON'T get it together.
As a Doctor, Kate has a unique insight into mental illness and medications, and even then, took more than ten years and countless hospitalisations to truly understand her ongoing illness and how it will never just "go away", but like any other illness needs constant monitoring, and in her case, medication. It is a truly brave step to write this very personal memoir, and I hope that others will find themselves more understanding of mental illness for having read it.
I can't help but put myself in the shoes of her parents, or her work colleagues, friends etc. because we have all come across those "crazy" people who just can't get their shit together. But that is just the problem, they CAN'T get it together which is very different to WON'T get it together.
As a Doctor, Kate has a unique insight into mental illness and medications, and even then, took more than ten years and countless hospitalisations to truly understand her ongoing illness and how it will never just "go away", but like any other illness needs constant monitoring, and in her case, medication. It is a truly brave step to write this very personal memoir, and I hope that others will find themselves more understanding of mental illness for having read it.
June 8, 2013
A confronting and beautifully written account of mental illness and navigating the mental health system. Kate is more fortunate than many others suffering from mental illness. She has supportive family and friends and financial resources. She is educated, articulate and between hospitalisations can manage to hold down good jobs for much of the time. She is also fortunate to find a caring and competent psychologist in Winsome Thomas who is a complete contrast to the cold and clinical psychiatrists Kate encounters. I shudder to think of what becomes of those suffering from mental illness who do not have Kate's social and financial resources
February 18, 2019
Beautifully written, poetic book. The characters are intriguing and damaged. Kate's description of the Alpine wilderness in which Sea, Serene and Wren live, and the changing seasons adds to the beauty of this book. You get a sense of their dependency on the land and how they survive up in the mountain wilderness. I read this book in two sittings, couldn't put it down.
February 11, 2013
Madness: A memoir is an incredibly brave and honest portrayal of living with a mental illness and provides a unique insight into psychosis. It's not always easy to read due to the descriptions of self harm and voices but it also a book of hope and healing.
April 6, 2017
Quite brilliantly written - a very insightful view of severe mental illness as experienced by the author. As she us also a doctor, her tendency to self diagnose showed us the process of elimination that professionals go through to work out what and his to treat. I found the writing so lyrical - it really brought to life the horrors of the experiences Kate has experienced. It did not provide a 'reason' for her mental stare, which I actually found beneficial - there can be so many reasons and the purpose of this book I felt was not to solve the problem (everyone's 'solutions' will differ) but to better understand : particularly those close to people suffering, and those in professions who treat or support them.
A quote from the book 'I've spoken with many families and careers who are immensely frustrated that they are not heard or believed or taken seriously when they report that their loved one is becoming unwell and needs assessment and treatment .... Patients also have skills and strengths. It hurts not to be respected or treated with dignity. Every human being has the same kind of heart. The same kinds of fears. The same need for connection'. An important reminder.
A quote from the book 'I've spoken with many families and careers who are immensely frustrated that they are not heard or believed or taken seriously when they report that their loved one is becoming unwell and needs assessment and treatment .... Patients also have skills and strengths. It hurts not to be respected or treated with dignity. Every human being has the same kind of heart. The same kinds of fears. The same need for connection'. An important reminder.
August 10, 2015
Fantastic insight into what it is like living with a severe mental illness.
April 9, 2015
Ten Second Synopsis:
A trained doctor lyrically recounts her experiences of living with Bipolar, depression and psychosis.
Right from the start, I found this to be a harrowing read. I had just picked it out for a bit of pre-naptime reading and was treated to a very graphic and frankly, stomach-churning description of the author’s attempt to amputate her own arm. While this was definitely not what I was expecting as an opening gambit, it was undoubtedly compelling and I knew that this would be an engaging read.
This was not the first memoir I’ve read from someone diagnosed with Bipolar, but what set this one apart was the fact that it was written by a trained medical doctor and deeply explored the effects of her psychosis on everyday life. An author’s note at the beginning informs the reader that the book has been put together using the author’s notebooks as a basis for describing the periods during which she was unwell, and I found it interesting that while the descriptions were quite harrowing and shocking, we were also dealing with a narrator who, by her own admission, was unreliable. I questioned, for instance, the fact that none of her colleagues (who were all medical doctors, you will recall) picked up on the obvious signs of her illness.
That aside, the book really raised the complexity of mental illness and the services available to people who suffer from its many variations.
The author had quite a negative view of psychiatrists in general as well as the specific psychiatrists of whom she was a patient. This was a recurring theme of Richards’ personal narrative, despite the fact that during much of the book she was too unwell to comply with the psychiatrist’s recommendations.
Overall, this book was an in-depth look at one woman’s experience with severe mental illness over a period of years and her journey through the public health system. Reading it has stirred up a lot of questions for me about the glaring gaps in provision of mental health services generally, and especially for those who don’t have the money to afford private health care. In essence, while it was a difficult read in places, Madness is an engaging addition to the literature on mental illness in an Australian context.
I’d recommend this one to anyone interested in individuals’ experiences with mental illness, particularly Bipolar, but if this is your first foray into memoirs about mental illness I’d probably start with something a little less “in your face”, lest you be overwhelmed with the enormity of the subject.
A trained doctor lyrically recounts her experiences of living with Bipolar, depression and psychosis.
Right from the start, I found this to be a harrowing read. I had just picked it out for a bit of pre-naptime reading and was treated to a very graphic and frankly, stomach-churning description of the author’s attempt to amputate her own arm. While this was definitely not what I was expecting as an opening gambit, it was undoubtedly compelling and I knew that this would be an engaging read.
This was not the first memoir I’ve read from someone diagnosed with Bipolar, but what set this one apart was the fact that it was written by a trained medical doctor and deeply explored the effects of her psychosis on everyday life. An author’s note at the beginning informs the reader that the book has been put together using the author’s notebooks as a basis for describing the periods during which she was unwell, and I found it interesting that while the descriptions were quite harrowing and shocking, we were also dealing with a narrator who, by her own admission, was unreliable. I questioned, for instance, the fact that none of her colleagues (who were all medical doctors, you will recall) picked up on the obvious signs of her illness.
That aside, the book really raised the complexity of mental illness and the services available to people who suffer from its many variations.
The author had quite a negative view of psychiatrists in general as well as the specific psychiatrists of whom she was a patient. This was a recurring theme of Richards’ personal narrative, despite the fact that during much of the book she was too unwell to comply with the psychiatrist’s recommendations.
Overall, this book was an in-depth look at one woman’s experience with severe mental illness over a period of years and her journey through the public health system. Reading it has stirred up a lot of questions for me about the glaring gaps in provision of mental health services generally, and especially for those who don’t have the money to afford private health care. In essence, while it was a difficult read in places, Madness is an engaging addition to the literature on mental illness in an Australian context.
I’d recommend this one to anyone interested in individuals’ experiences with mental illness, particularly Bipolar, but if this is your first foray into memoirs about mental illness I’d probably start with something a little less “in your face”, lest you be overwhelmed with the enormity of the subject.
August 2, 2019
Kate Richards’ novel Fusion (Hamish Hamilton/Penguin Random House 2019) is comprised of whimsical, breathy and lyrical prose combined with a visceral and vivid plot. This dichotomy is echoed throughout the novel and serves to emphasise the lives of the four characters. Sea and Serene are conjoined twins; they have two heads but share one body. After escaping from a harsh and judgmental childhood, they have happily made their home in the Australian bush. With them lives their cousin, Wren, a lonely young man with his own troubled history, who cares for them both physically and emotionally. The three live in virtual isolation in a basic cabin, where they are largely self-sufficient. They keep out of the way of other people, because experience has taught them it is better to rely only on each other. But when Wren one day discovers a badly injured young woman who has lost her memory, and brings her back to the house to recover, the changed dynamic in the home has lasting effects on them all.
Much of this novel is dialogue between Sea and Serene, structured in the unusual way in which they speak – often talking over each other, repeating what the other has said, or finishing each other’s sentences, or even thoughts. Richards has done a fine job of the nuanced complexities of conjoined twins, and all that means for independence, dependency and difference. There is a gentle tenderness to this story; a subtle and poetic exploration of love and friendship, of family and belonging. The difficult histories of each of the four characters are gradually unfurled, and we begin to realise why they harbour their fears and anxieties, and also why and how they are each seeking love and connection. The last half of the book is especially immersive into the thoughts and feelings of the characters, particularly the twins – some of Richards’ writing is almost dreamlike, or meditative; like a song or a poem rather than words in a linear narrative. Like all good literary fiction, this is a story that leaves much to the imagination and allows the reader to furnish the gaps in the tale with their own ideas about what happens next.
Much of this novel is dialogue between Sea and Serene, structured in the unusual way in which they speak – often talking over each other, repeating what the other has said, or finishing each other’s sentences, or even thoughts. Richards has done a fine job of the nuanced complexities of conjoined twins, and all that means for independence, dependency and difference. There is a gentle tenderness to this story; a subtle and poetic exploration of love and friendship, of family and belonging. The difficult histories of each of the four characters are gradually unfurled, and we begin to realise why they harbour their fears and anxieties, and also why and how they are each seeking love and connection. The last half of the book is especially immersive into the thoughts and feelings of the characters, particularly the twins – some of Richards’ writing is almost dreamlike, or meditative; like a song or a poem rather than words in a linear narrative. Like all good literary fiction, this is a story that leaves much to the imagination and allows the reader to furnish the gaps in the tale with their own ideas about what happens next.
March 10, 2013
I couldn't put this book down! Life is such a struggle for the author and I think it's an amazing thing to be able to write such an incredible book. I live with mental illness in my family and have a fair degree of insight, but reading this book helped me understand a little bit more. It's also given me some clues about better questions to ask and how I can help. Everyone should read this book!
April 2, 2015
Intense, worrying, beautiful, harrowing. I would slap it with a huge trigger warning for those struggling with or having a history of mental illness. You can't help but make comparisons between your own mental processes and those of the narrator, which can be a disturbing train of thought. Valuable insight into the life and mind of someone with acute mental illness and testimony of an obviously brilliant and courageous personality.
June 7, 2014
This book was harrowing to read, particularly during the times of crisis, but oh so interesting. Very well written and hopefully it can give some people who have a limited understanding of mental illness a better idea of what may be going on for someone living with mental illness. It's a pity that people that probably do need to read this never will. Perhaps it should be a set text in schools.
November 22, 2020
Maybe 3.9 stars another hard to rate book.
Conjoined twins, a man adrift in the bush, a damaged woman- all are in need of care and concealment from those who might harm them.
Quite original and excellent Australian literary fiction. Do need to suspend disbelief here and there to get the most out of it, otherwise I may have rated it higher.
Conjoined twins, a man adrift in the bush, a damaged woman- all are in need of care and concealment from those who might harm them.
Quite original and excellent Australian literary fiction. Do need to suspend disbelief here and there to get the most out of it, otherwise I may have rated it higher.
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October 22, 2017I do not feel I am in a position to rate this book. It would be ideal for a person experiencing such an illness, have a friend or family member experiencing such an illness or perhaps be within the health care field. As I do not fit any of those categories I found it somewhat overwhelming.
March 6, 2019
2nd favourite book of the year, so far. Blew my mind.
April 21, 2019
This book was unique, poetic and intriguing. Perhaps not a book for everyone, but I loved the way that it experimented with language and presented some original perspectives.
May 19, 2014
This review was originally published to Bookish Ardour
Occasionally I meet someone who is wide-eyed and innocent when it comes to mental illness. Not ignorance so much as complete and utter naiveté. These are people who admit they have had absolutely no experience with mental illness, whether it be themselves or by association. I’m always flabbergasted over this. I never know what to think, my brain freezes.
I see mental illness all around me. So many people have chronic depression, anxiety disorders, social disorders, personality disorders, you name it really. I’m always hard-pressed to think of someone who doesn’t, even mildly, suffer from some form of chronic illness. This is without bringing my brain into it which is chock-a-block with enough chronic conditions for ten people.
Madness: A Memoir is a great read for many reasons. I see it as an excellent introductory story to start with if you have had no experience with chronic illness, especially of the mental kind, and aren’t sure where to begin. Kate’s account gives an idea into life with psychosis, but with bypassing the confusion psychosis can cause the individual.
It’s easy for me to say so as I have my own forms of mental illness. There is much present in Kate’s story I can relate to. Issues with the health system, losing sense of self, lacking human contact, and truly believing the irrational are only some of the aspects people with mental illness can relate to. Kate has a great way of opening up about her experience. There’s a cadence to her writing style, which at times reminds me of irrational episodes, but the delivery is wonderfully structured.
I can understand if someone would not quite understand certain elements though. It is possible to question why someone wouldn’t seek help when they need it, or go so far as to try to cut their arm off, but that’s psychosis for you.
Speaking of which, that’s how Madness begins; she’s trying to cut her arm off. Is it any wonder I read this book in a few days rather than my usual week of reading? None at all! I was riveted. I was riveted all the way to the end. It wasn’t exactly fascinating, but it was engrossing from a chronically ill person’s perspective. It’s eye-opening being able to read another’s thoughts as they’re going through something that can be mirrored in part in your own life.
If you are interested in, or are considering, reading a true account of someone’s long-term experience with psychosis, I’d recommend Memoir: A Madness. I was moved enough to want to do something and I felt connected enough to not feel alone. Kate’s story impacts on many different levels.
Occasionally I meet someone who is wide-eyed and innocent when it comes to mental illness. Not ignorance so much as complete and utter naiveté. These are people who admit they have had absolutely no experience with mental illness, whether it be themselves or by association. I’m always flabbergasted over this. I never know what to think, my brain freezes.
I see mental illness all around me. So many people have chronic depression, anxiety disorders, social disorders, personality disorders, you name it really. I’m always hard-pressed to think of someone who doesn’t, even mildly, suffer from some form of chronic illness. This is without bringing my brain into it which is chock-a-block with enough chronic conditions for ten people.
Madness: A Memoir is a great read for many reasons. I see it as an excellent introductory story to start with if you have had no experience with chronic illness, especially of the mental kind, and aren’t sure where to begin. Kate’s account gives an idea into life with psychosis, but with bypassing the confusion psychosis can cause the individual.
It’s easy for me to say so as I have my own forms of mental illness. There is much present in Kate’s story I can relate to. Issues with the health system, losing sense of self, lacking human contact, and truly believing the irrational are only some of the aspects people with mental illness can relate to. Kate has a great way of opening up about her experience. There’s a cadence to her writing style, which at times reminds me of irrational episodes, but the delivery is wonderfully structured.
I can understand if someone would not quite understand certain elements though. It is possible to question why someone wouldn’t seek help when they need it, or go so far as to try to cut their arm off, but that’s psychosis for you.
Speaking of which, that’s how Madness begins; she’s trying to cut her arm off. Is it any wonder I read this book in a few days rather than my usual week of reading? None at all! I was riveted. I was riveted all the way to the end. It wasn’t exactly fascinating, but it was engrossing from a chronically ill person’s perspective. It’s eye-opening being able to read another’s thoughts as they’re going through something that can be mirrored in part in your own life.
If you are interested in, or are considering, reading a true account of someone’s long-term experience with psychosis, I’d recommend Memoir: A Madness. I was moved enough to want to do something and I felt connected enough to not feel alone. Kate’s story impacts on many different levels.
July 24, 2013
I read (or rather inhaled) this book for the Kill Your Darlings bookclub on Twitter this month. Well worth the journey. I'm fascinated by accounts of 'madness' and this one is a particularly elegant and rewarding read. Kate Richards' intelligence (she is a trained doctor and medical researcher), creativity and literate curiosity shines through in the work. The ordered nature of the narrative stands in contrast to the descriptions of complete disorder that make up psychotic episodes. Reproductions of her diary writing are inserted into the pages, adding a very intimate insight into the truly rambling chaos of those times. The 'voices' in Kate's head - and particularly the way they remain hidden and secret for so long - provide narrative traction. This is not just a book that is intellectually interesting - it's a compelling narrative. And it's touching and funny and frightening and horrifying at turns as well.
Kate doesn't shy away from highlighting her distrust of psychiatrists, but it's also clear how greatly she has benefitted from appropriate support at times - and how lucky she was to find a wonderful psychologist to work with. At times she reveals aspects of the medical system that are very depersonalising and horrifying but she doesn't dwell on this angrily (as she and many others might have reason to do!). Instead the focus is on her own recovery and the small steps that make this up. Learning balance, learning what is 'normal', and the account is in the end highly encouraging and inspiring without being in any way saccharine or shying away from the reality about how little is still known about mental illness, how limiting the official diagnoses can be, and what a fine line it can be to stay within appropriate recovery paths.
I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in mental illness and particularly to anyone working in the medical field - it is wonderful and un-'other'-ing the patient.
Kate doesn't shy away from highlighting her distrust of psychiatrists, but it's also clear how greatly she has benefitted from appropriate support at times - and how lucky she was to find a wonderful psychologist to work with. At times she reveals aspects of the medical system that are very depersonalising and horrifying but she doesn't dwell on this angrily (as she and many others might have reason to do!). Instead the focus is on her own recovery and the small steps that make this up. Learning balance, learning what is 'normal', and the account is in the end highly encouraging and inspiring without being in any way saccharine or shying away from the reality about how little is still known about mental illness, how limiting the official diagnoses can be, and what a fine line it can be to stay within appropriate recovery paths.
I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in mental illness and particularly to anyone working in the medical field - it is wonderful and un-'other'-ing the patient.
May 17, 2014
This book is so many kinds of amazing that I don't really know where to begin. Kate is a trained doctor and medical researcher, she has experienced severe depression, psychosis, self harm, horrible times in the mental health system; the whole shebang, basically. But first and foremost, she is a human being and this work she has written is a powerful call to treat people with mental illness as human beings, just like everyone else. Shock horror, right?
I loved her meandering from cleanly written medical speak, to her outpourings of suffering and madness, to powerfully worded cries to remember and respect and honour the human potential of people with mental illness. She was also able to articulate very well why it is that so many people with mental illness struggle to keep taking their medications. As a medical writer and someone who has struggled with nasty side effects, she articulates what an enormous battle it can be. She also shows the devastating effects on out our community's most vulnerable members when the mental health system is so starkly underfunded, having almost lost a friend to suicide.
If all of this amazingness isn't enough, she also writes beautifully. Her words flow and they are so evocative and marvellous to read. She captures the mind and fills it with imagery and feeling, as only the most gifted writers can. I loved this work I am starting straight in on her next work. I hope Kate keeps her writing up. She is one of the best writers I have discovered in a long time. Much respect! And gratitude. I experience mental illness myself and it fills my heart with joy to know that members of my community are writing this stuff. It needs to be written, read and understood, particularly by those in a position to do something about it.
I loved her meandering from cleanly written medical speak, to her outpourings of suffering and madness, to powerfully worded cries to remember and respect and honour the human potential of people with mental illness. She was also able to articulate very well why it is that so many people with mental illness struggle to keep taking their medications. As a medical writer and someone who has struggled with nasty side effects, she articulates what an enormous battle it can be. She also shows the devastating effects on out our community's most vulnerable members when the mental health system is so starkly underfunded, having almost lost a friend to suicide.
If all of this amazingness isn't enough, she also writes beautifully. Her words flow and they are so evocative and marvellous to read. She captures the mind and fills it with imagery and feeling, as only the most gifted writers can. I loved this work I am starting straight in on her next work. I hope Kate keeps her writing up. She is one of the best writers I have discovered in a long time. Much respect! And gratitude. I experience mental illness myself and it fills my heart with joy to know that members of my community are writing this stuff. It needs to be written, read and understood, particularly by those in a position to do something about it.
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