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Essays on Madness: A Lunatic's Guide
"Absolutely brilliant…beautifully written.” Alastair Campbell
Essays on Madness tells the 25 year tale of the author's battle with her own brain, through bouts of depression, suicidal ideation and a whole load of other stuff.
But the story's not as bleak as it might sound.
It's an honest take on how it feels to have such a messy head, but also sheds light on what helps her feel that little bit less shit. Whether it's therapy and medication or minimalism and quitting dieting, she discovered there's a always a different way to look at things...and usually plenty to laugh about, too.
Essays on Madness is a brutally honest exploration of AA Fellowes' fucked up mind, and her endless attempts to un-fuck it.
Essays on Madness tells the 25 year tale of the author's battle with her own brain, through bouts of depression, suicidal ideation and a whole load of other stuff.
But the story's not as bleak as it might sound.
It's an honest take on how it feels to have such a messy head, but also sheds light on what helps her feel that little bit less shit. Whether it's therapy and medication or minimalism and quitting dieting, she discovered there's a always a different way to look at things...and usually plenty to laugh about, too.
Essays on Madness is a brutally honest exploration of AA Fellowes' fucked up mind, and her endless attempts to un-fuck it.
180 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 27, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
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May 22, 2026This was recommended by my GP - hopefully not because he feels the subject matter reflects me! (Yes, book recommendations are not what NHS GP appointments are for, but if they will insist on seeing me for a box ticking exercise to confirm I still have my incurable conditions, then we may go off topic.)
I’m not giving a rating, because that feels too much like rating the author’s life and experience, which isn’t really appropriate. But I can’t say I highly recommend it. It felt a tiny bit reminiscent of Prozac Nation, but less chaotic, introspective and self-indulgent. Only slightly. I found it rambly (although that may be a stylistic choice, as I think the aim was a bit stream-of-consciousness and welcome-to-my-head) and it just didn’t do it for me. It’s billed as a series of essays, but really they form chapters with no narrative flow, nothing to really link it all together coherently. The lack of background explanation also just becomes frustrating. It felt like it never really got to any kind of relatable point- I wasn’t sure what the author was trying to say most of the time, and some of the information felt regurgitated from across the internet and social media. That’s not to say the author did not develop her position independently, but there was nothing much original or novel.
The postscript to the book may explain some of this. And I can’t argue that it depicts the confusion that seems to exist in human minds. The style just didn’t work for me.
I’m not giving a rating, because that feels too much like rating the author’s life and experience, which isn’t really appropriate. But I can’t say I highly recommend it. It felt a tiny bit reminiscent of Prozac Nation, but less chaotic, introspective and self-indulgent. Only slightly. I found it rambly (although that may be a stylistic choice, as I think the aim was a bit stream-of-consciousness and welcome-to-my-head) and it just didn’t do it for me. It’s billed as a series of essays, but really they form chapters with no narrative flow, nothing to really link it all together coherently. The lack of background explanation also just becomes frustrating. It felt like it never really got to any kind of relatable point- I wasn’t sure what the author was trying to say most of the time, and some of the information felt regurgitated from across the internet and social media. That’s not to say the author did not develop her position independently, but there was nothing much original or novel.
The postscript to the book may explain some of this. And I can’t argue that it depicts the confusion that seems to exist in human minds. The style just didn’t work for me.
May 4, 2026
Liked very much… very interesting . Probably would give 3.5.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews