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72 Hour Hold
In this novel of family and redemption, a mother struggles to save her eighteen-year-old daughter from the devastating consequences of mental illness by forcing her to deal with her bipolar disorder. New York Times best-selling author Bebe Moore Campbell draws on her own powerful emotions and African-American roots, showcasing her best writing yet.
Trina suffers from bipolar disorder, making her paranoid, wild, and violent. Watching her child turn into a bizarre stranger, Keri searches for assistance through normal channels. She quickly learns that a seventy-two hour hold is the only help you can get when an adult child starts to spiral out of control. After three days, Trina can sign herself out of any program.
Fed up with the bureaucracy of the mental health community and determined to save her daughter by any means necessary, Keri signs on for an illegal intervention. The Program is a group of radicals who eschew the psychiatric system and model themselves after the Underground Railroad. When Keri puts her daughter’s fate in their hands, she begins a journey that has her calling on the spirit of Harriet Tubman for courage. In the upheaval that follows, she is forced to confront a past that refuses to stay buried, even as she battles to secure a future for her child.
Bebe Moore Campbell’s moving story is for anyone who has ever faced insurmountable obstacles and prayed for a happy ending, only to discover she’d have to reach deep within herself to fight for it.
From the Hardcover edition.
Trina suffers from bipolar disorder, making her paranoid, wild, and violent. Watching her child turn into a bizarre stranger, Keri searches for assistance through normal channels. She quickly learns that a seventy-two hour hold is the only help you can get when an adult child starts to spiral out of control. After three days, Trina can sign herself out of any program.
Fed up with the bureaucracy of the mental health community and determined to save her daughter by any means necessary, Keri signs on for an illegal intervention. The Program is a group of radicals who eschew the psychiatric system and model themselves after the Underground Railroad. When Keri puts her daughter’s fate in their hands, she begins a journey that has her calling on the spirit of Harriet Tubman for courage. In the upheaval that follows, she is forced to confront a past that refuses to stay buried, even as she battles to secure a future for her child.
Bebe Moore Campbell’s moving story is for anyone who has ever faced insurmountable obstacles and prayed for a happy ending, only to discover she’d have to reach deep within herself to fight for it.
From the Hardcover edition.
5 pages, Audio CD
First published June 28, 2005
134 people are currently reading
1912 people want to read
About the author
Bebe Moore Campbell
41 books312 followersBebe Moore Campbell (February 18, 1950 – November 27, 2006), was the author of three New York Times bestsellers, Brothers and Sisters, Singing in the Comeback Choir, and What You Owe Me, which was also a Los Angeles Times "Best Book of 2001". Her other works include the novel Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and the winner of the NAACP Image Award for Literature; her memoir, Sweet Summer, Growing Up With and Without My Dad; and her first nonfiction book, Successful Women, Angry Men: Backlash in the Two-Career Marriage. Her essays, articles, and excerpts appear in many anthologies.
Campbell's interest in mental health was the catalyst for her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which was published in September 2003. This book won the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. The book tells the story of how a little girl copes with being reared by her mentally ill mother. Ms. Campbell was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and a founding member of NAMI-Inglewood. Her book 72 Hour Hold also deals with mental illness. Her first play, "Even with the Madness", debuted in New York in June 2003. This work revisited the theme of mental illness and the family.
As a journalist, Campbell wrote articles for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Essence, Ebony, Black Enterprise, as well as other publications. She was a regular commentator for Morning Edition a program on National Public Radio.
(from Wikipedia)
Campbell's interest in mental health was the catalyst for her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which was published in September 2003. This book won the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. The book tells the story of how a little girl copes with being reared by her mentally ill mother. Ms. Campbell was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and a founding member of NAMI-Inglewood. Her book 72 Hour Hold also deals with mental illness. Her first play, "Even with the Madness", debuted in New York in June 2003. This work revisited the theme of mental illness and the family.
As a journalist, Campbell wrote articles for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Essence, Ebony, Black Enterprise, as well as other publications. She was a regular commentator for Morning Edition a program on National Public Radio.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
July 23, 2008
I hadn't gotten far into the book when I found myself checking the blurb.
Twice.
This is FICTION??? I asked myself repeatedly.
Cause I could swear this woman LIVED with me.
Later on I found out just how close Ms Moore Campbell's ties to bipolar disorder really were. The rumors were flying rampantly that this was based on her life with her daughter Mia Campbell, the UPN sitcom star who became far more "famous" for her crack-induced escapades.
No one knows how troubling it is to sit by helplessly while your child descends into madness, especially when nine times out of ten that "madness", in the literal sense of the word, is directed squarely at yourself. Compounding the problem is the inability, however justified by our treatment in this country, of Black people as a community to accept a diagnosis of mental illness.
No: a Good A$$ Whippin is NOT THE CURE for Bipolar Disorder.
Ask Me How I Know.
Like Keri, I play the What If game often. Nights my son has
"Walked Away" are spent in fitful prayer, hoping God has mercy on my child and keeps him from making a decision he might find impossible to live with.
I rooted for Keri, and especially for Trina, during their on-the-road ordeal; for I too long for a "Magical Cure" which will restore my beautiful and once charming son back to his former, "normal", state.
The ultimate outcome, however, turned out to be as much of a "miracle" as the mother of any mentally challenged child could hope for. Real life doesn't always imitate art however.
My prayers are with Mia.
Twice.
This is FICTION??? I asked myself repeatedly.
Cause I could swear this woman LIVED with me.
Later on I found out just how close Ms Moore Campbell's ties to bipolar disorder really were. The rumors were flying rampantly that this was based on her life with her daughter Mia Campbell, the UPN sitcom star who became far more "famous" for her crack-induced escapades.
No one knows how troubling it is to sit by helplessly while your child descends into madness, especially when nine times out of ten that "madness", in the literal sense of the word, is directed squarely at yourself. Compounding the problem is the inability, however justified by our treatment in this country, of Black people as a community to accept a diagnosis of mental illness.
No: a Good A$$ Whippin is NOT THE CURE for Bipolar Disorder.
Ask Me How I Know.
Like Keri, I play the What If game often. Nights my son has
"Walked Away" are spent in fitful prayer, hoping God has mercy on my child and keeps him from making a decision he might find impossible to live with.
I rooted for Keri, and especially for Trina, during their on-the-road ordeal; for I too long for a "Magical Cure" which will restore my beautiful and once charming son back to his former, "normal", state.
The ultimate outcome, however, turned out to be as much of a "miracle" as the mother of any mentally challenged child could hope for. Real life doesn't always imitate art however.
My prayers are with Mia.
April 30, 2013
72 Hour Hold is the story of Keri's struggles with her bipolar daughter, Trina. This story to me was drawn out, I understand trying to get the reader engaged, but some parts of it seem to be rambling, repeating parts just got to be boring. Keri's doesn't want to accept that her daughter is ill, so she goes through an emotional rollercoaster ride, she goes through denial, fear, anger, and even to the point of doing something illegal to get help for Trina. Even at the end I still don't think Keri fully accepted her daughter's mental illness.
There were times when I was wondering what was going to happen, and times when I was bored. This was the first time I read a book from Bebe Moore Campbell, I won't say that I wouldn't reading anything else from her, but I would say that I did get an understanding of what a loved one have to deal with when there dealing with a person with a mental illness.
(less)
There were times when I was wondering what was going to happen, and times when I was bored. This was the first time I read a book from Bebe Moore Campbell, I won't say that I wouldn't reading anything else from her, but I would say that I did get an understanding of what a loved one have to deal with when there dealing with a person with a mental illness.
(less)
June 30, 2020
This book is a very thinly fictionalized account of dealing with a child who, in her late teens, is stricken with bi-polar disorder. The late Bebe Moore Campbell's own daughter, Maia Campbell, suffers with the illness. She was arrested earlier this year in the Atlanta area for disorderly behavior consistent with manic depression and with drug use. I chose to read the book this month as a memorial of sorts to one of my dearest friends who died 5 years ago at age 50 of systemic illnesses which grew out of his bi-polar disorder. For what its worth the book gave me some space to remember my beloved friend, and that was a good thing.
There were other good things about 72 Hour Hold. The book discusses frankly the extra stigma placed on mental illness in the African American community. I have discussed this with friends in the past, and I am glad to see anything that takes this issue out of the closet. It also addresses the narrow space African American people have to act "crazy" without ending up dead or in prison. Last month, less than 10 minutes from my house, Atlanta police shot to death a mentally ill Black man who was running around naked (so clearly unarmed) unmistakably in the midst of a psychotic episode. I think it is true that it would not have happened had it been an adult child of one of my White neighbors. The White person would have been subdued and evaluated, not shot. Again, an important issue that Campbell handled well.
Unfortunately, the story here shot out in all sorts of directions. Campbell spent pages and chapters on things that were not central and not interesting. (This includes everything about the main character's store, her regrets about her marriage, her employees, her boyfriend and his kids.) I am not saying that aspects of the main character's life that were not related to her daughter's illness should have been excised, but they should have been treated as background, and they were not. I was also annoyed with the constant references to slavery. Overseers and plantations have nothing to do with this. I get the metaphor, I get that she was "enslaved" by the cruel disease, but the metaphor did not work. When my loved ones are stricken with disease, its not like I make concentration camp comparisons. It is demeaning to actual slaves to equate these things. It pissed me off a little. There were other less irritating but still ineffective metaphors; the beautiful suit with a little spot that won't come out shows up a lot (hi Lady Macbeth!) Again, a bad metaphor, but less annoying. I should also note that I thought all of the characters other than Kari lacked dimension.
One final note: I read this book in print and got the audiobook as well to listen in the car. The audiobook is terrible. The reader, who has a beautiful voice perfectly suited to late night soul radio stations or phone sex lines, seems to have no idea what she is reading. She places emphasis on words and syllables that should not have been emphasized. She uses an almost jolly tone when talking about Trina's outbursts and dangerous behaviors, like she is telling someone about a friend who got a little too drunk at a party. More terrible is the weird sing-song thing she occasionally slips into and her habit of over-enunciating, pronouncing each syllable as if it is a new word. Worst of all though are the voices she gave to characters. Bethany sounds like a cross between Marge Simpson's sisters, Selma and Patty and Bette Davis in her post stroke years. Brad, a pasty khaki wearing white guy, sounds like a barrel chested, respectful but slightly dim Black man. The doctors voices are the funniest. The best are the British therapist who sounds like a 1980's computer voice and the (Asian) Indian doctor who sounds like a crazed West Indian Voodoo Priest. It was funny, but it became unlistenable. I ended up taking the audio back to the library about half way through and just reading the book.
If you are going to check out this book do NOT get the audio. And if you just want a book about families dealing with the onset of mental illness, you many want to check out some of the other excellent books on the topic. This is not a complete waste of time, but its not nearly as good as it should be.
There were other good things about 72 Hour Hold. The book discusses frankly the extra stigma placed on mental illness in the African American community. I have discussed this with friends in the past, and I am glad to see anything that takes this issue out of the closet. It also addresses the narrow space African American people have to act "crazy" without ending up dead or in prison. Last month, less than 10 minutes from my house, Atlanta police shot to death a mentally ill Black man who was running around naked (so clearly unarmed) unmistakably in the midst of a psychotic episode. I think it is true that it would not have happened had it been an adult child of one of my White neighbors. The White person would have been subdued and evaluated, not shot. Again, an important issue that Campbell handled well.
Unfortunately, the story here shot out in all sorts of directions. Campbell spent pages and chapters on things that were not central and not interesting. (This includes everything about the main character's store, her regrets about her marriage, her employees, her boyfriend and his kids.) I am not saying that aspects of the main character's life that were not related to her daughter's illness should have been excised, but they should have been treated as background, and they were not. I was also annoyed with the constant references to slavery. Overseers and plantations have nothing to do with this. I get the metaphor, I get that she was "enslaved" by the cruel disease, but the metaphor did not work. When my loved ones are stricken with disease, its not like I make concentration camp comparisons. It is demeaning to actual slaves to equate these things. It pissed me off a little. There were other less irritating but still ineffective metaphors; the beautiful suit with a little spot that won't come out shows up a lot (hi Lady Macbeth!) Again, a bad metaphor, but less annoying. I should also note that I thought all of the characters other than Kari lacked dimension.
One final note: I read this book in print and got the audiobook as well to listen in the car. The audiobook is terrible. The reader, who has a beautiful voice perfectly suited to late night soul radio stations or phone sex lines, seems to have no idea what she is reading. She places emphasis on words and syllables that should not have been emphasized. She uses an almost jolly tone when talking about Trina's outbursts and dangerous behaviors, like she is telling someone about a friend who got a little too drunk at a party. More terrible is the weird sing-song thing she occasionally slips into and her habit of over-enunciating, pronouncing each syllable as if it is a new word. Worst of all though are the voices she gave to characters. Bethany sounds like a cross between Marge Simpson's sisters, Selma and Patty and Bette Davis in her post stroke years. Brad, a pasty khaki wearing white guy, sounds like a barrel chested, respectful but slightly dim Black man. The doctors voices are the funniest. The best are the British therapist who sounds like a 1980's computer voice and the (Asian) Indian doctor who sounds like a crazed West Indian Voodoo Priest. It was funny, but it became unlistenable. I ended up taking the audio back to the library about half way through and just reading the book.
If you are going to check out this book do NOT get the audio. And if you just want a book about families dealing with the onset of mental illness, you many want to check out some of the other excellent books on the topic. This is not a complete waste of time, but its not nearly as good as it should be.
October 13, 2009
Bebe Moore Campbell's latest novel, 72 Hour Hold, focuses on a
mother's frustration and desperation when dealing with a daughter suffering from mental illness. Earlier in the year, divorcee Kira Whitmore's beautiful daughter, Trina, was a high school senior and National Merit Scholar with a bright future ahead of her - starting with plans to study at Brown University in the fall. Then suddenly and unexpectedly, Trina changes and Kira innocently ignores a host of symptoms and warning signs. Trina's behavior eventually becomes more violent and erratic, spurring frantic 911 calls and numerous hospital visits that finally yield a diagnosis: bipolar (manic depressive)disorder. Their lives are literally turned upside down when Trina refuses to take the prescribed medication (mood stabilizers and psychotic drugs) and resorts to alcohol and marijuana use which only exacerbate and amplify her self-destructive behavior.
Like the good mother she is, Kira seeks and prays for a remedy or a cure, only to be told repeatedly that there is none, only lifelong treatment via prescription drugs. A weary attending physician does not offer much hope when he informs her with a look of pure pity that "mental illnesses can transform people. You may not be able to get back the daughter you had. You may, as the saying goes, have to learn to love a stranger," and wishes her good luck as a solitary comfort. She rebukes the advice and frantically learns all she can about the disease and its treatment via support groups and her own research with the hope that a breakthrough is on the horizon.
As hard as Kira tries to move in a positive direction, Trina's condition worsens. Her behavior modulates like an unsynchronized pendulum, from depression to mania with little to no warning. Kira reluctantly resorts to law enforcement to protect Trina from herself (often the subject of the attacks)and others. The rules are simple - if Trina is deemed a danger to society; she can be held against her will in a hospital's mental ward for the requisite "72 hour hold." Each time, Kira struggles desperately for an extension, but Trina "acts normal enough" and the requests are denied repeatedly - 72 hours is not, and never will be, enough time for the medication to stabilize the now rebellious, paranoid, legalized 18 year old adult Trina who hates her mother for wanting to "lock her up," thus the spiral into madness begins anew at each release.
At one point in the story, Kira is told, "when you love someone who has a mental illness, there comes a point at which you must detach in order to preserve your own life." But how can a mother ever detach from her child? Desperate times call for desperate measures and, Kira, having exhausted all legal avenues, resorts to an "intervention" which mirrors a covert kidnapping operation that has some disastrous and yet surprising results.
Campbell's story, albeit fictional, is an intense and compassionate testament that patients' rights often clash with what is best for the mentally ill. She paints a very realistic portrait of both the victims and the suffering loved ones charged with their care. Trina's descent into madness is realistic and painful to watch. The medical and legal system's bureaucracy is stifling. Kira's dilemma is heart-tugging. Campbell's skill as a writer is evident with an ingenious thread which portrays mental illness as a form of slavery and blends in imagery and metaphors from the African American slavery experience - references to shackles, plantation life and the Middle Passage. In addition, her usage of the Underground Railroad as a means of escape to freedom while looking toward the North Star as a symbol for hope and guidance was absolutely brilliant.
Campbell's work brings forth awareness because it holds a mirror to society's sometimes judgmental and condemning face. Throughout the novel, we see unkind strangers, impatient friends, and judgmental neighbors who spew unwanted, mean-spirited advice and cite unwarranted rationale for Trina's outcome, oftentimes blaming Kira for not spending enough time with her child when she was younger and other nonsensical causes. She also educates by sharing that a lot of mental diseases are hereditary/genetic and can be triggered by alcohol, drugs, or traumatic events. She challenges cultural boundaries by emphasizing how mental illness is a low priority in many ethnic communities, particularly African American, regardless of how prevalent and obvious it is within the communities. This is a wonderful, enlightening body of work told with the utmost tenderness and sensitivity.
mother's frustration and desperation when dealing with a daughter suffering from mental illness. Earlier in the year, divorcee Kira Whitmore's beautiful daughter, Trina, was a high school senior and National Merit Scholar with a bright future ahead of her - starting with plans to study at Brown University in the fall. Then suddenly and unexpectedly, Trina changes and Kira innocently ignores a host of symptoms and warning signs. Trina's behavior eventually becomes more violent and erratic, spurring frantic 911 calls and numerous hospital visits that finally yield a diagnosis: bipolar (manic depressive)disorder. Their lives are literally turned upside down when Trina refuses to take the prescribed medication (mood stabilizers and psychotic drugs) and resorts to alcohol and marijuana use which only exacerbate and amplify her self-destructive behavior.
Like the good mother she is, Kira seeks and prays for a remedy or a cure, only to be told repeatedly that there is none, only lifelong treatment via prescription drugs. A weary attending physician does not offer much hope when he informs her with a look of pure pity that "mental illnesses can transform people. You may not be able to get back the daughter you had. You may, as the saying goes, have to learn to love a stranger," and wishes her good luck as a solitary comfort. She rebukes the advice and frantically learns all she can about the disease and its treatment via support groups and her own research with the hope that a breakthrough is on the horizon.
As hard as Kira tries to move in a positive direction, Trina's condition worsens. Her behavior modulates like an unsynchronized pendulum, from depression to mania with little to no warning. Kira reluctantly resorts to law enforcement to protect Trina from herself (often the subject of the attacks)and others. The rules are simple - if Trina is deemed a danger to society; she can be held against her will in a hospital's mental ward for the requisite "72 hour hold." Each time, Kira struggles desperately for an extension, but Trina "acts normal enough" and the requests are denied repeatedly - 72 hours is not, and never will be, enough time for the medication to stabilize the now rebellious, paranoid, legalized 18 year old adult Trina who hates her mother for wanting to "lock her up," thus the spiral into madness begins anew at each release.
At one point in the story, Kira is told, "when you love someone who has a mental illness, there comes a point at which you must detach in order to preserve your own life." But how can a mother ever detach from her child? Desperate times call for desperate measures and, Kira, having exhausted all legal avenues, resorts to an "intervention" which mirrors a covert kidnapping operation that has some disastrous and yet surprising results.
Campbell's story, albeit fictional, is an intense and compassionate testament that patients' rights often clash with what is best for the mentally ill. She paints a very realistic portrait of both the victims and the suffering loved ones charged with their care. Trina's descent into madness is realistic and painful to watch. The medical and legal system's bureaucracy is stifling. Kira's dilemma is heart-tugging. Campbell's skill as a writer is evident with an ingenious thread which portrays mental illness as a form of slavery and blends in imagery and metaphors from the African American slavery experience - references to shackles, plantation life and the Middle Passage. In addition, her usage of the Underground Railroad as a means of escape to freedom while looking toward the North Star as a symbol for hope and guidance was absolutely brilliant.
Campbell's work brings forth awareness because it holds a mirror to society's sometimes judgmental and condemning face. Throughout the novel, we see unkind strangers, impatient friends, and judgmental neighbors who spew unwanted, mean-spirited advice and cite unwarranted rationale for Trina's outcome, oftentimes blaming Kira for not spending enough time with her child when she was younger and other nonsensical causes. She also educates by sharing that a lot of mental diseases are hereditary/genetic and can be triggered by alcohol, drugs, or traumatic events. She challenges cultural boundaries by emphasizing how mental illness is a low priority in many ethnic communities, particularly African American, regardless of how prevalent and obvious it is within the communities. This is a wonderful, enlightening body of work told with the utmost tenderness and sensitivity.
June 10, 2015
Compelling, Emotional, Riveting & Thought Provoking!!! An Outstanding Story!!!
March 21, 2016
They say you shouldn't start a book with a character thinking, 72 Hour Hold demonstrated why. I had to try really hard to submerge myself in this novel and in the end I was moved. This is a story about sickness and a mother's unconditional love for her child.
The only flaw was with the stereotypes. The may be trying to crush one black stereotype but she keeps the majority intact.
The only flaw was with the stereotypes. The may be trying to crush one black stereotype but she keeps the majority intact.
November 14, 2009
We need to promote mental health issues more and sadly this was an accurate account of Campbell's life before her timely life..
March 1, 2012
This is the final novel from noted contemporary African-American writer Bebe Moore Campbell, who passed away earlier this year. I've read a few of her other novels (Brothers and Sisters, Your Blues Ain't Like Mine), and got an excerpt from this one through Dearreader.com Book Club a few months ago.
Single mother and businesswoman Keri Whitmore is struggling with her teenage daughter Trina's recent diagnosis with bipolar disorder, which has wreaked havoc with her plans for college and the future. Trina is struggling too - with staying on her medications, therapy, and staying away from the non-prescribed drugs that aggravate her mania and paranoia. Trina's father Clyde hasn't accepted the facts of his daughter's illness, and at some level Keri hasn't either; underlying her daily efforts to manage their lives, she seems to keep hoping that she'll find the one "magic bullet" that will give her back the daughter she used to know, and this leads her to a desperate step outside the mental-health care system.
Keri is a very human character, exasperating to the point of "girl, please!" at times, but stirring empathy at many others, and her struggle is one that can make you appreciate the things you don't have to deal with in your own life. The plot is engrossing, the writing is very direct and down-to-earth, and the characters are well-drawn.
Single mother and businesswoman Keri Whitmore is struggling with her teenage daughter Trina's recent diagnosis with bipolar disorder, which has wreaked havoc with her plans for college and the future. Trina is struggling too - with staying on her medications, therapy, and staying away from the non-prescribed drugs that aggravate her mania and paranoia. Trina's father Clyde hasn't accepted the facts of his daughter's illness, and at some level Keri hasn't either; underlying her daily efforts to manage their lives, she seems to keep hoping that she'll find the one "magic bullet" that will give her back the daughter she used to know, and this leads her to a desperate step outside the mental-health care system.
Keri is a very human character, exasperating to the point of "girl, please!" at times, but stirring empathy at many others, and her struggle is one that can make you appreciate the things you don't have to deal with in your own life. The plot is engrossing, the writing is very direct and down-to-earth, and the characters are well-drawn.
January 22, 2013
What a heart wrenching tale of dealing or at least trying to deal with a child with a mental disorder. I felt for Carrie and her strength and determination even when all odds were stacked against her. She took on a lot, which in turn made me wonder why if she fought so hard for her daughter's health would she fight so hard to hold onto the grudge with her rehabilitated mother. I guess we all have our deep rooted issues we need to resolve. Trina was a handful, battling this mental disorder, trying to maintain independence as a legal adult but so child like at the same time. She was lucky to have family who would fight so hard for her health and well being.
November 10, 2011
When this book was chosen by my book club in 2010, I skipped the meeting. I tend to lean toward happier subjects, or fantastical subjects. Then, I joined Audible and kept seeing the title pop up in my browsing.
I'm not sure that this would have held my interest had I read it. The narrator performed her role, as opposed to simply reading the words. Her accents were awful but the depth of the main character made up the difference. I found myself sad when I had to take my earbuds off each day.
I'm not sure that this would have held my interest had I read it. The narrator performed her role, as opposed to simply reading the words. Her accents were awful but the depth of the main character made up the difference. I found myself sad when I had to take my earbuds off each day.
November 11, 2016
I was really excited to read this book. I was hoping that a book about a Black child with mental health issues and the struggles the parent goes through would really resonate with me. I was wrong. I found it to be VERY slow for about the first 75% of the book and then the last 25% ended too quickly. There were moments where I really wanted to know what happened next but for the most part I was kind of bored. To be honest, I don't know if I'll read another book by this author.
September 23, 2017
Bebe Moore Campbell wrote the novel 72 Hour Hold based on her experiences trying to support her daughter..... let that sink in. I’m sure this is as a very difficult story to write. As a mother your instinct is to care for and protect, there were times when Keri could do neither for Trina....but Keri never gave up on her daughter. Very touching and revealing story about dealing with loved ones and mental illness.
October 26, 2021
Despite the fact that so many people are affected by mental illness, it is generally brushed under the rug and rarely discussed. It was eye-opening to realize how difficult the sickness is not just for the patient, but also for their caregivers and families. It reveals the many inadequacies in our mental health care system, as well as the desperation of individuals seeking help for loved ones who are in crisis. It is both sad and educational.
January 17, 2011
A rough story. Campbell is a very good writer who can draw you into a story and make you feel it, even when the setting is outside your experience. This story is scary and sad, but inspiring. A mother's determination to help her child trumps all.
February 7, 2016
Great novel about a mother's response to her adult daughter's mental illness. Explores the depths of a mother's love and the lengths a mother will go to to protect or save her child. Excellent! I hope to read more books by this author.
March 27, 2012
It seemed promising in the beginning but went way off track in the middle. The story totally went into a ditch by the end of the book.
September 19, 2014
Like peeking into a world i have yet to see
February 22, 2022
72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell
Published June 28, 2005
In this novel of family and redemption, a mother struggles to save her eighteen-year-old daughter from the devastating consequences of mental illness by forcing her to deal with her bipolar disorder. New York Times best-selling author Bebe Moore Campbell draws on her own powerful emotions and African-American roots, showcasing her best writing yet.
Trina suffers from bipolar disorder, making her paranoid, wild, and violent. Watching her child turn into a bizarre stranger, Keri searches for assistance through normal channels. She quickly learns that a seventy-two hour hold is the only help you can get when an adult child starts to spiral out of control. After three days, Trina can sign herself out of any program.
Fed up with the bureaucracy of the mental health community and determined to save her daughter by any means necessary, Keri signs on for an illegal intervention. The Program is a group of radicals who eschew the psychiatric system and model themselves after the Underground Railroad. When Keri puts her daughter’s fate in their hands, she begins a journey that has her calling on the spirit of Harriet Tubman for courage. In the upheaval that follows, she is forced to confront a past that refuses to stay buried, even as she battles to secure a future for her child.
Bebe Moore Campbell’s moving story is for anyone who has ever faced insurmountable obstacles and prayed for a happy ending, only to discover she’d have to reach deep within herself to fight for it.
Published June 28, 2005
In this novel of family and redemption, a mother struggles to save her eighteen-year-old daughter from the devastating consequences of mental illness by forcing her to deal with her bipolar disorder. New York Times best-selling author Bebe Moore Campbell draws on her own powerful emotions and African-American roots, showcasing her best writing yet.
Trina suffers from bipolar disorder, making her paranoid, wild, and violent. Watching her child turn into a bizarre stranger, Keri searches for assistance through normal channels. She quickly learns that a seventy-two hour hold is the only help you can get when an adult child starts to spiral out of control. After three days, Trina can sign herself out of any program.
Fed up with the bureaucracy of the mental health community and determined to save her daughter by any means necessary, Keri signs on for an illegal intervention. The Program is a group of radicals who eschew the psychiatric system and model themselves after the Underground Railroad. When Keri puts her daughter’s fate in their hands, she begins a journey that has her calling on the spirit of Harriet Tubman for courage. In the upheaval that follows, she is forced to confront a past that refuses to stay buried, even as she battles to secure a future for her child.
Bebe Moore Campbell’s moving story is for anyone who has ever faced insurmountable obstacles and prayed for a happy ending, only to discover she’d have to reach deep within herself to fight for it.
September 7, 2018
I found this book to be an accurate depiction of a mother's struggle to get appropriate treatment for her barely adult daughter. Having worked as a psychiatrist (now retired) for 25 years, I have treated many patients whose families have gone through similar journeys. In all cases, however things end, it is the patients and their families and friends, who manage to stand by them, who are the heroes and heroines of the journey.
Yes, there are parts of the journey which are tedious, boring and repetitive. That is also true to life. I highly recommend this book for those seeking insight into the struggles of the mentally ill and their families. It also addresses the strengths and many weaknesses of the mental health care system in the United States. Readers should be aware that mental health related laws vary from state to state.
Yes, there are parts of the journey which are tedious, boring and repetitive. That is also true to life. I highly recommend this book for those seeking insight into the struggles of the mentally ill and their families. It also addresses the strengths and many weaknesses of the mental health care system in the United States. Readers should be aware that mental health related laws vary from state to state.
November 26, 2008
OMG, there is sooooo much I could say about this book. It's an emotional roller coaster from the beginning to the very last page. God rest her beautiful soul, but Bebe Moore Campbell wrote this sad, but intriguing story of a mother fighting to save her child who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys her writing.
It will make you laugh at the things she cannot change, cry along with her during the setbacks, & rejoice in the positive steps her daughter takes towards healing.
Again, a must read!
It will make you laugh at the things she cannot change, cry along with her during the setbacks, & rejoice in the positive steps her daughter takes towards healing.
Again, a must read!
March 14, 2011
This powerful novel is the story of a mother who trying to cope with the mental illness of her eighteen year old daughter who is diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. The mother's story will touch of the heart of every parent who loves her child. Any person who has family members who have been diagnosed with mental illness will see themselves in this realistic portrayal of the truth. I highly recommend this book to any parent.
May 28, 2020
HomeStead...Read in 4 days. Story was engaging, To Do/Not to Do Relational Nuggets sprinkled throughout was enlightening and intertwined references to Harriett Tubman and Underground Railroad was clever and entertaining.
Panoramic View, this literary work was Colored Glass...Believable, Hopeful, Beautiful, Good. Purchased on a Whim. First book read by authored by Bebe Moore Campbell, more monies spent at Amazon demonstrates It Won't Be the Last😁
Panoramic View, this literary work was Colored Glass...Believable, Hopeful, Beautiful, Good. Purchased on a Whim. First book read by authored by Bebe Moore Campbell, more monies spent at Amazon demonstrates It Won't Be the Last😁
April 25, 2020
This was a really good read
I am not a black women nor bipolar. I have suffered depression and anxiety. Not sure how or why I picked this story. I’m really glad I did. One-word description would be: authentic. I believed and felt the experiences fears and delicate hope. If you aren’t sure - read it. You won’t regret it.
I am not a black women nor bipolar. I have suffered depression and anxiety. Not sure how or why I picked this story. I’m really glad I did. One-word description would be: authentic. I believed and felt the experiences fears and delicate hope. If you aren’t sure - read it. You won’t regret it.
January 19, 2021
Having lived through mental illness myself and with my daughter, who is still non-compliant with medication, this book hit hard. The journey is different for everyone. I am lucky that I haven’t had to go this route. However, I can see how this could easily have been my story. So well written by someone who obviously understands what it is like to live this kind of life.
August 20, 2023
72 Hour Hold
Bebe crafts an amazing story of the journey that Keri goes through with her daughter that suffers from bi-polar disorder. Keri jumps through hoops to get her daughter the assistance that she needs. Desperate times calls for desperate measures. Often it takes failure after failure to get to the desired result.
Bebe crafts an amazing story of the journey that Keri goes through with her daughter that suffers from bi-polar disorder. Keri jumps through hoops to get her daughter the assistance that she needs. Desperate times calls for desperate measures. Often it takes failure after failure to get to the desired result.
March 31, 2020
72 hour hold
Wonderful book, it definitely raised awareness on mental health and how serious it really is. Anyone that is going through the struggle or want to learn should check out this boot.
RIP BEBE CAMPBELL
Wonderful book, it definitely raised awareness on mental health and how serious it really is. Anyone that is going through the struggle or want to learn should check out this boot.
RIP BEBE CAMPBELL
September 6, 2021
A Mother’s Fight
This mother was determined to help her daughter manage her mental illness and live her best life. She learned that ultimately the person has to work as hard for themselves. She learned some lessons and found love along the way.
This mother was determined to help her daughter manage her mental illness and live her best life. She learned that ultimately the person has to work as hard for themselves. She learned some lessons and found love along the way.
October 3, 2022
An Honest Telling!
This book offers a close to accurate account of what it's like to have a mental illness! Though the book is fiction, I thought they it was a helpful resource and insightful read as well! I highly recommend this book for sure!
This book offers a close to accurate account of what it's like to have a mental illness! Though the book is fiction, I thought they it was a helpful resource and insightful read as well! I highly recommend this book for sure!
July 9, 2023
Amazing writing. I definitely recommend, I couldn't put it down. As a mother of someone with mental illness and a suffering person as well it was very relatable. Excited to read more from the author .
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