The Inherited Mind: A Story of Family, Hope, and the Genetics of Mental Illness

by James Longman

A compelling memoir by ABC News correspondent James Longman in which he discusses mental illness and trauma in families, what the latest genetic science is telling us, and how to not only persevere but thrive.

James Longman was a preteen in boarding school when his dad, who was diagnosed with depression and schizophrenia, died by suicide. As he got older, James’s own bouts of depression spurred him to examine how his father’s mental health might have affected his own. He engaged with experts to uncover the science behind what is inherited, how much environmental factors can impact genetic traits, and how one can overcome a familial history of mental illness and trauma.

In The Inherited Mind, James Longman invites readers to reflect on their own stories as he shares his quest to better understand himself and his family. Through speaking to mental health experts, to those who have had similar familial experiences, and about his own life stories, James shows us, with heart and humor, how much our bodies can empower and inform us about our own personal mental health histories.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Mental Health, Psychology, Medicine, Biography, Health

304 pages, Hardcover

Published January 7, 2025

About the author

James Longman is an English journalist and foreign correspondent for US network ABC News. Previously, he worked at the BBC where he worked as a general news reporter and the corporation's Beirut correspondent.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Inherited Mind by James Longman is a deeply personal and well-reported look into the science of mental illness. Longman pulls no punches in detailing the tragic impact of mental illness in his family. He laces that with explanations of the science of mental illness that is highly understandable and accessible for the lay person. No PhD required to get a feel for genomics or other scientific principles that guide the study of mental illness. The deeply personal nature of Longman's make this a book that is hard to put down. It's one of the most accessible looks at the science of mental illness that I've ever read. Thank you to #netgalley and #hyperionavenue for the opportunity to preview #theinheritedmind

[Valleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Longman's dad suffered from depression and schizophrenia, ultimately dying by suicide. James struggled with depression, himself, leading him to wonder if genetics contributed to mental health. The author describes The Inherited Mind as part memoir and part science in his search for answers.

The book goes back and forth repeatedly between memoir and science. The science parts seemed to go on forever, although that is probably because so much went over my head. I absolutely loved the memoir portions! Hands down, my very favorite part of The Inherited Mind was when James met his father's first girlfriend, Lizzie. She was such a hoot and had loved John deeply.

Probably my favorite thing I am taking from the book, and something I plan on using OFTEN, is when I think back on something I desperately wish I'd done differently, I'm going to repeat as often as it takes: "I forgive myself."

Thank you #HyperionAvenue for providing this book for review consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. It has an expected publication date of January 7, 2025.

#JamesLongman #MentalHealth #Family #Nonfiction

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book compliments of NetGalley in exchange of my review. The concept of the book "The Inherited Mind: A Story of Family, Hope, and the Genetics of Mental Illness" is interesting as James Longman is trying to find if there is a genetic component to mental illness. The book looks at his father's struggle with schizophrenia and the author's struggle to learn about who his father was, and if his family's mental illness history is genetic. This is the sort of nature versus nature argument to mental illness.

However, this book read more like a book report where the author was citing other references to his research. At times he tries to fill in the narrative with notes from his father's doctors and former friends. I enjoyed learning about the upcoming genetic research components that are becoming available to research mental illnesses and the genetics involved. But I felt like the story at times veered off on tangents of the authors life ( i.e. it went off on a biography tangent) then what the initial concept was about.

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A memoir that reads like a research paper. It felt like reading homework.

[Queen Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family, Hope, Genetics

The Inherited Mind is first about family, about the author’s struggle to learn about his father who committed suicide when the author was a boy, and it is a fascinating read because the author gets all kinds of medical reports on his father. I am confident this could not happen the U.S. for privacy reasons. He read the reports and found some of his father’s caregivers — again, a very different model to that in the U.S. The author’s father’s father also committed suicide and the author tends toward depression so he was naturally interested in the heritability of mental illness.
Unfortunately for me, this is the part of the title I latched on to for some reason (no doubt because I too suffer from depression and have seen a family history of it), so much of the book was disappointing to me — I wasn’t that interested in his father’s story. But Mr. Longman is an excellent story teller and the story was interesting enough, dare I say compelling enough, that I kept reading through the story to the science-y chapters. Which brings us to the Hope part of the title. Mr. Longman finds, and shares, the hope he derives from the science. So far there is no single gene that can be attributed to mental illness and environment does (apparently) matter to one’s mental health if one has the genetic proclivities for mental illness, and therefore, we can be proactive in managing our mental health.
I did learn from this book, and I can recommend it, especially if one has survived a suicide in one’s family, or lost a parent whom one would like to know better. That is the true story here.

[Sarah Hoffmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very well written. The author does a fantastic job of exploring the connection between genetics and mental illness and how epigentics (how the environment impacts how our genes “show up”) impacts mental illness as well. He brings his own story- his and his family’s struggles with mental illness and stories of many others along with current and relevant research that he does a great job explaining. I found this book very interesting!

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didn't finish the book. It was interesting because I'm familiar with James Longman as a reporter, but I felt like the book could have been more focused.

[Karyl · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3½ stars, but alas, Goodreads doesn’t believe in allowing half stars.

I read just about anything I can get my hands on regarding mental health/illness, especially if it’s in a memoir format. Longman has clearly done a lot of reading and a great deal of research himself. The thing is, this booth is neither a memoir nor a discussion of mental illness and new research into treatments. It wants to be both, and as a result, it isn’t as strong as it could be if it picked one or the other.

I really loved the memoir portions of this book. I want to applaud Longman’s mother for allowing this book to go to print as her son wrote it; at times, she doesn’t come across very well, but it’s very honest. It’s human nature not to want people to see our flaws so clearly, but Longman’s mother Ann allows Longman to tell his side of the story, warts and all.

It’s so heartening to see how Longman’s view of his father changed and softened with the more he got to know him through the people he knew throughout his life. While Longman will miss his father for the rest of his life, and certainly be upset that he chose to end his life when Longman was so young, one can sense that Longman’s empathy towards his father and the demons he struggled with grows with everyone he meets that knew his father. It’s quite hopeful in nature.

However, the science-y bits of this book tend to drag down the writing. Longman says multiple times he doesn’t quite understand all of the science, which means that his explanations aren’t as clear as they could be. Were this book more of a memoir with just a little of the science sprinkled in here and there, instead of the science taking over whole chapters, the whole would be a lot stronger.

I quite appreciated reading John’s medical records that were included, and like Longman himself, it was refreshing to hear from John’s carers that he was loved and well taken care of, that he wasn’t just ignored and left to fall through the cracks. Longman does point out that with the modern NHS, if his father John were alive now, he may have a completely different experience with mental health professionals, which is a shame.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting account of the authors experience as a child of a person with mental illness. This book is part memoir and part research paper.

[Brian Tooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully written book!! James Longman takes us through his family of mental illness and gives us hope. I will highly recommend this book to anyone like myself who loves to read about the science of genetics and how it can affect mental illness.

[Maleah Grover · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book has discussions about science, the author is overly optimistic about solutions being found not only for diagnoses but new treatments such as ketamine (no references for the latter). Overall, it seemed disjointed.

[STEPHEN PLETKO!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

XXXXX

A THRILLER INSIDE A MYSTERY INSIDE A LOVE STORY

XXXXX

"This book is intended, in part, to humanize , the word 'schizophrenia'...

This book will focus on three specific mental illnesses: schizophrenia...bipolar disorder, and clinical depression...

I'm going to share my family's story with you, and along the way try to translate the often complicated medical and scientific jargon into something more digestible."

The above quotation (in italics) comes from this incredibly honest book by James Longman. He is an ABC News foreign correspondent who has reported from over sixty countries. Longman has won News Emmys for his reporting.

For Longman, the relationship between mental illness, genetics, and environment is an important and personal question which he uses to explore the legacy of mental illness in his family. His father, an artist, had schizophrenia and ended his life when Longman was nine years old; Longman’s mother was unstable throughout his adolescence.

Growing up in this environment with a family history of depression, Longman’s own depression seemed inevitable, but he wanted to understand his father as a person and how others in his situation have coped. Intertwining the science of the genetic and epigenetic bases of depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia with personal stories of people with generational mental illness, this book is an empathetic, sensitive examination of the challenges and strength of individuals struggling with their mental health.

This accessible work is part memoir, part science but reads more like a intimate memoir, not a popular science book.

Throughout this book are black & white family member portraits, actual medical notes, etc. These made this memoir feel even more intimate.

Finally, the only problem I had is that there was no index. A wealth of important information is presented but there is no easy access to it. I felt that this index omission was a major oversight.

In conclusion, there is some good stuff on mental illness in this engaging book. While this subject matter is difficult, I found the tone to be enlightening, uplifting, and sympathetic.

XXXXXX

(2025; introduction; 13 chapters; main narrative 280 pages: acknowledgments; selected sources)

XXXXX

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Inherited Mind, James Longman has written a book about his experiences with mental illness and how we can better understand ways to deal with it. He is an ABC News correspondent in London. He begins the book by sharing how when he was 9 years old, he was summoned by his headmaster when he was playing with one of his friends. He was told that there was an accident and there was nothing they could do to save him. His father had been killed in a fire. He didn’t know until he got older that his father was diagnosed with schizophrenia and a few other disorders. His parents had been separated since he was three. Later she told him that because of this she was afraid to leave him alone with him. When he was a kid, he believed that his father was a hero. He didn’t discover the real story of what happened to his dad until he was twenty-six and he was researching it for a news story. His father had experienced hallucinations and neighbors that were interviewed described how he was hearing voices. It was later confirmed that there was in fact a fire but that he jumped out the window. He explained how he was able to track down some of the assessment notes from psychiatrists that tried to help his day. They believed that he was suicidal and readers can actually read some of these throughout the book. He enclosed some credible sources on what the disorders are and how others have found help.


I would recommend this book to anyone battle mental illness and they are feeling alone and depressed. This book has the potential to touch lives. I liked how in the book he revealed his own bouts with depressions and how some of this was linked to his sexuality. He wasn’t afraid to share details of his story. Readers will get to connect with his story along the way and get a glimpse into his family history with mental illness. I enjoyed how he reached out to different people in their respectable fields to gain and share the knowledge they have discovered. He touched on genetic traits, environmental factors, and is everything inherited, and the solution. This book is very eye opening and excellent resource for mental illness.



“I received this book free from the publisher the for my honest review.”

[BOOKLOVER EB · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this melancholy memoir, James Longman—a successful journalist who was born in London—relates what he learned about his late father, John, a charismatic and creative individual who was an artist and devotee of Transcendental Meditation. James's dad married Ann Claridge, and they had one son. When John was diagnosed with schizophrenia, he received inpatient and outpatient care. However, he did not take his medication regularly and required a great deal of support from caregivers. Ann decided to separate from her husband, who subsequently had limited contact with James. In 1996, when the boy was a nine-year-old attending boarding school, he received the shocking news that his father had died.

In "The Inherited Mind," the author shares his family's unhappy history with us. His uncle was schizophrenic; James's mother drank heavily and was verbally abusive; and James has experienced bouts of debilitating depression. Longman found John's medical records, and he tracked down several of his father's caregivers and friends. James longed to know what his dad was really like, and he was uplifted when the people who knew John said that he was "funny, a deep thinker, generous, and kind."

In addition, Longman interviews men and women with who have undergone treatment for various psychological problems and, in some case, are now helping others. The author also cites studies by experts; speculates about the link between deinstitutionalization and homelessness; bemoans the fact that the mentally ill in our society are often unfairly stigmatized; and describes the research being conducted into the genetic, chemical, and environmental factors that may play a role in psychiatric disorders. "The Inherited Mind" is a candid and personal work of non-fiction that should appeal to those who are interested in how mental illness affects patients and their families. The writing is serviceable, but the book is flawed by repetitiousness and the inclusion of too much tangential information. What is indisputable is that scientists have a long way to go in their understanding of the human brain.

[Karen Cohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Longman, the author, describes this work as part memoir, part science, and that is very true. He originally began his research into schizophrenia to understand his father, who committed suicide when James was 9, and stories about his father's life are interspersed with scientific explanations and current research. In the first half of the volume, the balance between memoir and science seemed quite good; in the second half, the balance shifted to more memoir, and while some of it was quite interesting, I thought that the written messages from James' mother and a therapist who worked with his father - printed in italics, which becomes difficult to read when continued over several pages - to be more detail than I wanted about John Longman's life. For the most part, however, I enjoyed this work and found the scientific information interesting, especially when incidents from John's life were used to illustrate the science, and/or why James went looking the direction that he did.

This volume could be beneficial for practitioners, those diagnosed with mental illness, and those who support those diagnosed with mental illness. It is relatively easy to read due to the conversational nature of the writing, although at times, it feels more like something James wrote for himself (which he admits that he did) than something intended for publication; indeed, I have to wonder if he decided to publish it more because he was already writing it for himself than any other reason. While relatively easy to access, I sometimes felt that the casual conversational tone downplayed the seriousness of some of the information present. Due to both the subject matter and the level of science, it is recommended for older teens and adults.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Olivia Heisterkamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. The last quarter of this book is what saved it for me. I finally found that I was reading fresh perspectives that I haven’t come across time and time again - I valued the insights shared by Joy Hibbins surrounding care for suicidal patients and the wrap up from the many people Longman met along his journey to learn more bout his family’s genetic vulnerabilities. There are many moments the author echos his deep desire to understand the life of his father and how he, as a child, fit into his world that start to feel like a broken record. I couldn’t help but think again and again that Longman established his goals for the memoir component of this book that didn’t need to be repeated.
Though woefully repetitive, I’m sure this process of writing The Inherited Mind allowed the author to feel closer to his late father and understand his own struggles with mental illness. For readers looking to do the same, there are many other books that do a better job at going into the science of mental health. I understand that Longman had a lot to learn when first embarking on this journey, but his comparisons of his own moderate episodic depressive disorder and his father’s schizophrenia and eventual suicide seem somewhat misplaced. I also expected higher quality writing that reached farther depths earlier on in the book than what Longman was able to accomplish. More than once, he admitted to feeling in over his head with the science of it all. I appreciate the honesty… but maybe leave this work to those who can better grasp psychology/psychiatry or, at the very least, partner with another writer who is able to deliver in that way.

[Brahm Kornbluth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know James Longman as a TV reporter, and for being one of the relatively few out gay men in the media.

Longman’s backstory I did not know - his father committed suicide, as did his father's father, and he has struggled with depression himself. Longman was a preteen in boarding school when his father died, and as he got older had his own experience with depression. That history is the starting off point for The Inherited Mind, which he describes as part memoir, part science, as it combines his own story with research to learn more about the role genetics plays in mental illness.

The book really does veer back and forth between memoir and science, from Longman’s coming out story and him learning about his father’s life before he got sick, to interviews and research on what is happening in the field of mental health.

I loved the personal parts of this book - with heart and humour we learn about his father’s life with and without his mental illness, about the impact his loss had on Longman and how he now forges his way through his own life, from coming out to travelling the world and building his career.

The memoir parts of the book are smart and touching and brave and brutally honest and sometimes heartbreaking.

The science parts of the book sometimes read like really smart book reviews, and after a certain point engaged me less.

Overall an emotional, interesting and sometimes dazzling read.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

[CVZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Candid, Thoughtful, Optimistic, Informative and Personal Narrative About Mental Illness

After finishing this book and both reading as well as listening to the words, I must begin with this statement. James Longman, you are an extraordinary human being with a beautiful heart. I wish for you only the best in the years to come.
This book has a wealth of information about research and findings in the psychiatric world of schizophrenia and depression. I found it to be very well written and enlightening. My favorite parts were the personal, relationship scenarios. I found myself longing for more in depth information about James’ own life and the family dynamics and the rewarding relationship with his partner, Alex.
Admittedly, I have long held negative feelings about schizophrenia and the individuals impacted by this debilitating disease. James, however, puts a more positive spin on this psychiatric disorder. He enlightens the readers with an awareness of its origins and severity are not only in the brain but are impacted by genes, environment, and life experiences. He helps us to understand the complexity and inter-connectedness of each organ system in the human body and how something seemingly unrelated, like gut health, can impact the disease. He also gives us valuable insight into how to help individuals overcome with depression.
Recommended read for everyone. The Audible companion was well narrated.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

To quote the author himself, "Describing this book as part memoir, part science" has often been met with looks of polite confusion. People usually expect one or the other. And when they know me, and my history of scientific ineptitude, they wonder if I have indeed lost my mind."

Count me among the confused. This book wanders ALLLLL over the place. I don't know if the author had to meet a word count quota, but it feels to me as though he bloated the book with FAR too many unrelated details of his life. To the point of talking about many of his friendships and his journalism assignments in the Middle East at length. The photos at the beginning of each chapter are a pictorial example of the hodgepodge. This whole book would be a ROUGH first draft at best.

And the "science" is scattered throughout these rants about his own life and is "science light" if that.

However, I'll give the author FULL credit (and a hearty AMEN!!!) for this paragraph on the book's very last page, "If you're wondering about your own family's history of mental illness, the best advice I can offer is this: Ask them. Find out. Don't let these issues remain buried as half-remembered secrets, as my family has done. These secrets live inside you, where they can fester and corrupt. Your family history then becomes a stone to weigh you down, rather than a tool with which you can better understand who you are." THIS.

[Lindsay Reinke · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 I am truly in awe of John and how he vulnerably opened up about his story with mental illness and the history of his family. I’ve read MANY books on the this topic, and l will admit, I was a bit skeptical of the validity of this book. I was pleasantly surprised as this was very well-informed and scientifically sound. I sympathized with him, as someone with a long line of mental illness within my family and myself. He made me feel seen and heard, while offering fantastic solutions/advice. I definitely recommend this if you or someone you love struggles with mental illness of any kind- from clinical depression to schizophrenia, there will be great information here. He encourages ways to use your story or illness to turn things around on a positive trajectory while also realizing these are things that will be lifelong struggles.

“If you’re wondering about your own family’s history of mental illness, the best advice I can offer is this: Ask them. Find out. Don’t let these issues remain buried as half-remembered secrets as my family has done. These secrets live inside you, where they can fester and corrupt. Your family history then becomes a stone that can bring you down, rather than a tool with which you can better understand who you are today.”

“Ask for help, and you will see there is kindness all around you.”

“You may carry the problem, but you also carry the solution.”

[Leonard Ricci · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's O.K. to be anatomically incorrect .

Although I never thought I was harboring any sort of mental illness, I always wondered if I was at least born anatomically incorrect. Being brought up in the 1950's in Central New Jersey among the vast chemical producing factories and oil and gas refineries, diesel fumes and coal burning locomotives, let's just say that I ingested more toxins during my formative years than I could imagine. I'm sure that my developing brain cells were bombarded with so many disruptive chemicals that many of my later in life catastrophes could be blamed on my disastrous childhood upbringing. Although I never had thoughts of suicide or serious depression, I was always looking for answers as to why I felt incomplete inside. I read this book because I thought it just might give me a glance into my own inner workings of my screwy jostled internal afflictions. And it did.
Beautifully written and informative although the scientific and clinical research was a bit above my comprehension I was still very much impressed with the content.
Thank you so much for sharing your life's story with me.
Lenny Ricci

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Longman is a renowned journalist who opens up about his struggles with depression while telling the story of his father's mental illness and suicide. I am so glad that the author was able to meet people that knew his dad well, since he died when the author was a small child. I am glad those people were able to express their love for his father and what kind of person he was, despite his struggle with schizophrenia.

I have the Audible version of this and finished it in two days while listening on my commute. I suppose that is one positive about the holiday traffic beginning to ramp up. There were parts of the book that I found slightly boring and tedious, which mostly revolved around long explanations about science. I did appreciate the research that went into it, as well as the author's candidness about not being a science person. I thought he did a good job, those were just my least favorite parts. I also appreciated the mentions of the issues with the mental healthcare system, which does share some similar struggles to the mental healthcare system here in the United States. Overall, this was a good book, and I am glad I purchased it.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published January 7

This is James' incredibly honest and open investigation into his own family and personal history with mental illness.

He includes current research topics, including the relevance of genetics, as well as interviews with experts. He additionally provides interviews of those impacted by various mental health issues, both familial and personal.

I found James' book to be very approachable. He is, admittedly, not great with math or science, and the thus expert interviews are at a layperson's level of understanding. He's also very up front about his own personal opinions of some treatments, and how his family's various dynamics have shown up in his own life.

I thoroughly embrace this kind of frank dialogue about mental health. Nobody is untouched by these issues.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[David Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, who is also a journalist looks into the science of inherited mental illness. The author's father had schizophrenia and committed suicide when the author was a boy. Turns out the author's grandfather also committed suicide. The author struggles with depression. The book is part biography part science as the author interviews leading researchers on the current theories of inheritability of mental illness as well as interviews well known individuals who are open about their mental illness struggles. I found it quite interesting. The author was very thorough in his research of the relevant data currently known. I find the idea of epigenetics and it's role in all of this. We have lots of genes in our DNA and certain environmental factors can turn on or off certain genes which leaves a lot of variety in the actual outcomes. The author used a metaphor of a jar with stones that was really good. I recommend this book if it is the kind of thing you enjoy.

[Chris M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting case study that combines memoir, journalism and the science of mental illness. The science parts were easy to understand, which will be helpful if you don’t have a background in science. The author did a great job explaining the current research related to heritability with mental illness. It was also interesting to learn about the UK’s NHS system and their troubles with their mental healthcare system.

With that said, the memoir portion takes up a majority of the book. This will largely depend on the reader whether or not they find it interesting. I’m not a fan of memoirs, so I found this part the least interesting, although there were some interesting perspectives throughout, and it’s necessary to understand the context of the authors research. The books chapters also alternated from science to memoir which felt cumbersome, but I would still recommend overall

[Kim McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at how much of our mental health issues can be attributed to our DNA and how the trauma of growing up with a family member who suffered from mental illness and our own fears affect our lives. James Longman approached a difficult subject with keen journalistic skills, an open mind and a willing heart. He along with members of the medical community, eyewitness interviews with people who have dealt with the trauma of mental illness and his own memories of growing up and losing his father at a young age to suicide offer a compassionate look at what has long been considered a taboo subject. If nothing else it should make you delve into your own family history and start asking questions. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely give autobiographies five stars. Not because I don't like them, but because I feel weird saying that a life in writing is the best or worst. It seems like a judgment of the person and not the writing. But in this case, the science and research make this review easy to praise. James Longman's life was tough, but this book searches for answers about his father and how that applies not only to his own life but to all of us who have had mental illness touch our lives.

Mr. Longman's courage to attack long-held beliefs about schizophrenia, bipolar, depression and other mental illnesses and owning his own issues in the process make this a marvelous read, worth owning. I did pick up the audible version and felt the author narrated quite well. Now I am thinking about getting the paper version so I can see charts or research more easily.

I highly recommend this book.

[Zhelana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part science, part memoir, which doesn't really sound like it would work, but somehow it kind of does. The problem with this book is it is not written by a scientist, doctor, psychologist, or anyone trained to understand genetics. It's written by a journalist, and journalists have the horrid habit of believing they can write about anything, even things which they failed their basic high school exams in, s this guy admits failing his science classes. And, look, I'm not an expert in medicine or psychology, either, so I don't know where he fucked up, but I don't trust him at all. He's not an expert. He's just a guy with a schizophrenic father, whom he admits he didn't even know all that well. The parts about trying to talk about his own father were good, though.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Longman, foreign correspondent for ABC News, has written a memoir about mental illness within his family, and a quest to understand and know more about his father, who committed suicide when the author was 9. Longman has also battled depression. The book examines a subject that is often not talked about within families, and examines the scientific research that currently exists, showing that mental heath issues involve a combination of genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental factors. I will admit that like Longman, science is not a subject I am particularly good at understanding; as a result some of what was discussed went over my head. A worthwhile read.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best of the year! I guarantee it! This book gave a deep dive into mental illness. It is a tragic but beautiful book. I have always admired James Longman as a reporter. I see a whole new him. I see a man of strength and resilience. It really takes courage to be this vulnerable about something so personal and I am blown away by the openness and the well of knowledge. Facing your demons is never easy and James decided that this was his time. With his strength in mind, I want to face my own mental illness and my own demons armed with what I know now. Thank you for being brave and writing this masterpiece.