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Will You Read This, Please?
"Some people who deal with mental illness have the opportunity and ability to write about it, but many do not – and it was those people, those unread stories, I wanted to find."
— Joanna Cannon
How do we give a voice to those who so often remain unheard? Will You Read This, Please is a frank and impactful collection of twelve stories as told to our best British writers, based on the lived experience of people who have faced mental illness in the UK.
Edited by Joanna Cannon, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, Three Things About Elsie, and A Tidy Ending, the stories told here are powerful, resonant and heart-breaking. This is a ground-breaking and unforgettable collection, shining a light on the stigma and isolation of living with mental illness, while also showing the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
Introduction — Joanna Cannon
Sarah’s Story — as told to Joanna Cannon
Jeremy’s Story — as told to Tracy Chevalier
Jen’s Story — as told to Catherine Cho
Marie’s Story — as told to Benjamin Johncock
Franki’s Story — working with Rebecca Pert
Nicola’s Story — as told to Jenn Ashworth
Cat’s Story — as told to Shelley Harris
Phoenix’s Story — as told to Hafsa Zayyan
Lewis’s Story — as told to Rhik Samadder
Sanmeet’s Story — as told to Selali Fiamanya
Alain’s Story — with Kathryn Mannix
Joyia’s Story — with Clare Mackintosh
How do we give a voice to those who so often remain unheard? Will You Read This, Please is a frank and impactful collection of twelve stories as told to our best British writers, based on the lived experience of people who have faced mental illness in the UK.
Edited by Joanna Cannon, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, Three Things About Elsie, and A Tidy Ending, the stories told here are powerful, resonant and heart-breaking. This is a ground-breaking and unforgettable collection, shining a light on the stigma and isolation of living with mental illness, while also showing the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
Introduction — Joanna Cannon
Sarah’s Story — as told to Joanna Cannon
Jeremy’s Story — as told to Tracy Chevalier
Jen’s Story — as told to Catherine Cho
Marie’s Story — as told to Benjamin Johncock
Franki’s Story — working with Rebecca Pert
Nicola’s Story — as told to Jenn Ashworth
Cat’s Story — as told to Shelley Harris
Phoenix’s Story — as told to Hafsa Zayyan
Lewis’s Story — as told to Rhik Samadder
Sanmeet’s Story — as told to Selali Fiamanya
Alain’s Story — with Kathryn Mannix
Joyia’s Story — with Clare Mackintosh
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2023
About the author
Joanna Cannon
16 books994 followersLibrarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Joanna Cannon is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling debut novel The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, which has sold over 250,000 copies in the UK alone and has been published in 15 countries. The novel was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize, shortlisted for The Bookseller Industry Awards 2017 and won the 2016 BAMB Reader Award. Joanna has been interviewed in The Guardian, The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Times, and Good Housekeeping magazine, and her writing has appeared in the Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, and the Guardian, amongst others. She has appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC News Channel’s Meet the Author, interviewed on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5, and is a regular at literary festivals across the country including Edinburgh and Cheltenham. Joanna left school at fifteen with one O-level and worked her way through many different jobs – barmaid, kennel maid, pizza delivery expert – before returning to school in her thirties and qualifying as a doctor. Her work as a psychiatrist and interest in people on the fringes of society continue to inspire her writing, and Joanna currently volunteers for Arts for Health, an organisation bringing creative arts to NHS staff and patients. Joanna Cannon’s second novel Three Things About Elsie is published in January 2018 and explores memory, friendship and old age. She lives in the Peak District with her family and her dog.
Joanna Cannon is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling debut novel The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, which has sold over 250,000 copies in the UK alone and has been published in 15 countries. The novel was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize, shortlisted for The Bookseller Industry Awards 2017 and won the 2016 BAMB Reader Award. Joanna has been interviewed in The Guardian, The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Times, and Good Housekeeping magazine, and her writing has appeared in the Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, and the Guardian, amongst others. She has appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC News Channel’s Meet the Author, interviewed on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5, and is a regular at literary festivals across the country including Edinburgh and Cheltenham. Joanna left school at fifteen with one O-level and worked her way through many different jobs – barmaid, kennel maid, pizza delivery expert – before returning to school in her thirties and qualifying as a doctor. Her work as a psychiatrist and interest in people on the fringes of society continue to inspire her writing, and Joanna currently volunteers for Arts for Health, an organisation bringing creative arts to NHS staff and patients. Joanna Cannon’s second novel Three Things About Elsie is published in January 2018 and explores memory, friendship and old age. She lives in the Peak District with her family and her dog.
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May 14, 2023
Edited by novelist Joanna Cannon, Will You Read This, Please? is a collection of stories based on twelve peoples' experiences of surviving mental illness and navigating the flawed UK mental health services, as told by twelve bestselling authors.
This collection gives a voice to those whose stories often go untold, those who mignt not have the opportunity or ability to put words to their experiences, but whose stories the world desperately needs to hear in order for mental illness to be destigmatised. The stories told here have been carefully selected from numerous submissions to provide a representative cross section of the population; among others there's a new mother, a middle-aged man who builds dry stone walls, a teenage boy, a psychiatrist, a young woman who escaped a cult, an Afghan asylum seeker, and a transgender anorexia nervosa sufferer who had to battle to be deemed well enough to undergo medical transition. Mental illness does not discriminate, and it is vital that the reader understands that anyone can be afflicted. The stories cover a wide but not exclusive list of illnesses and include patients or service users whose illnesses have been managed as outpatients, those who have voluntarily admitted themselves to mental health facilities and those who have been sectioned against their will. Alain's story tells how he was first held in prison, then moved to a secure psychiatric hospital, after attacking a member of the public while suffering from undiagnosed schizophrenia. The collection also highlights the contrasting struggles of knowing you have a mental illness and hating how it inhibits your ability to have a normal life, and of thinking that the manifestation of your illness is your normal life.
The idea of pairing each service user with a bestselling author is a brilliant one. Who better to bring these stories to a wider audience than those with a proven track record of making readers care about fictional characters, of making us invested in their fates? The authors also help the storytellers to articulate experiences which are famously hard to understand if they have never happened to you, such as panic attacks and intrusive thoughts. The stories range from chronological retellings of a whole life story to descriptions of pivotal episodes to streams of consciousness. The editor (and author of one of the stories) clearly cares about her subjects deeply - she stressed that each telling must retain the subject's original voice, and ensured that they were all paid the same as the authors. The message is clear: you matter; you have value.
The stories underline the universal failings of an inadequate NHS system. No matter their diagnosis, the story tellers - almost to a one - tell of struggling to make a GP take them seriously, being misdiagnosed, and fighting to get the right medication, the right therapy from an over-stretched, under-funded system forced to rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. (Anyone who has ever tried to access suitable contraception will undoubtedly have faced similar frustrations.) Older stories, such as that of Jeremy, coming of age in the early 1970s, highlight how far this country has come in its understanding of mental illness and how to treat it, while others remind the reader how far we still have to go in the search for a service which actually helps; one storyteller, Sarah, speaks of her fears of being forced into aversion therapy to treat her emetophobia. Several stories mention how they only began to make real progress in managing their illness when they were able to access private treatment, well aware that for many this will never be an option.
While many of the experiences are ubiquitous, the diversity of accounts covers specific issues such as, for Sanmeet, the need to find a therapist of colour to whom she could talk 'without explanation, caveats and disclaimers.' and Lewis' frustrations with the fact that support for gambling addiction is still largely focused on casinos and betting shops, despite many people accessing gambling online now.
Many of the stories touch on the impact of mental illness on the sufferer's family but each account is reassuringly patient-centred. If you have a friend or family member who is suffering, or has suffered with poor mental health, this book may speak to you directly in a way that your loved one perhaps cannot. Often sufferers of mental illness, not wanting to worry those closest to them, or feeling that they will be judged or misunderstood, can mask how unwell they are if there are no obvious physical symptoms. Additionally, in some cultures mental illness still carries a heavy stigma - both Sanmeet and Jen mention feeling isolated because they didn't feel their families would understand what they were going through; to exacerbate the problem, there is often a parallel aversion to 'airing dirty laundry' which means therapy is disapproved of.
The stories are brutally honest and devastating, and the collection shines a light on several lesser known conditions, ones which, as Marie says in her story, 'people don't make jokes about in popular culture'. They capture the fear that never leaves you once you realise how fragile mental health can be; as Nicola writes in the first story, 'I'm no longer in that dark place, but I exist on the edge of that deep hole now, and live my life precariously, knowing it is there.' However, the overall message is a hopeful one: each story ends on a positive note, and many of the storytellers have channeled their experiences into helping others. Each author does a commendable job of making their subject a fully-realised human being, so much more than their diagnoses even if they may have times when they feel it defines them.
This book should be read by everyone. If you have had your own struggles with your mental health, these stories will make you feel less alone. If you have friends or family members who have been affected, they will help you to understand what they have been through. If you are lucky enough not to have first-hand experience of mental illness, this book will give you an invaluable insight into what it is like to undergo a mental health crisis in the UK.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
This collection gives a voice to those whose stories often go untold, those who mignt not have the opportunity or ability to put words to their experiences, but whose stories the world desperately needs to hear in order for mental illness to be destigmatised. The stories told here have been carefully selected from numerous submissions to provide a representative cross section of the population; among others there's a new mother, a middle-aged man who builds dry stone walls, a teenage boy, a psychiatrist, a young woman who escaped a cult, an Afghan asylum seeker, and a transgender anorexia nervosa sufferer who had to battle to be deemed well enough to undergo medical transition. Mental illness does not discriminate, and it is vital that the reader understands that anyone can be afflicted. The stories cover a wide but not exclusive list of illnesses and include patients or service users whose illnesses have been managed as outpatients, those who have voluntarily admitted themselves to mental health facilities and those who have been sectioned against their will. Alain's story tells how he was first held in prison, then moved to a secure psychiatric hospital, after attacking a member of the public while suffering from undiagnosed schizophrenia. The collection also highlights the contrasting struggles of knowing you have a mental illness and hating how it inhibits your ability to have a normal life, and of thinking that the manifestation of your illness is your normal life.
The idea of pairing each service user with a bestselling author is a brilliant one. Who better to bring these stories to a wider audience than those with a proven track record of making readers care about fictional characters, of making us invested in their fates? The authors also help the storytellers to articulate experiences which are famously hard to understand if they have never happened to you, such as panic attacks and intrusive thoughts. The stories range from chronological retellings of a whole life story to descriptions of pivotal episodes to streams of consciousness. The editor (and author of one of the stories) clearly cares about her subjects deeply - she stressed that each telling must retain the subject's original voice, and ensured that they were all paid the same as the authors. The message is clear: you matter; you have value.
The stories underline the universal failings of an inadequate NHS system. No matter their diagnosis, the story tellers - almost to a one - tell of struggling to make a GP take them seriously, being misdiagnosed, and fighting to get the right medication, the right therapy from an over-stretched, under-funded system forced to rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. (Anyone who has ever tried to access suitable contraception will undoubtedly have faced similar frustrations.) Older stories, such as that of Jeremy, coming of age in the early 1970s, highlight how far this country has come in its understanding of mental illness and how to treat it, while others remind the reader how far we still have to go in the search for a service which actually helps; one storyteller, Sarah, speaks of her fears of being forced into aversion therapy to treat her emetophobia. Several stories mention how they only began to make real progress in managing their illness when they were able to access private treatment, well aware that for many this will never be an option.
While many of the experiences are ubiquitous, the diversity of accounts covers specific issues such as, for Sanmeet, the need to find a therapist of colour to whom she could talk 'without explanation, caveats and disclaimers.' and Lewis' frustrations with the fact that support for gambling addiction is still largely focused on casinos and betting shops, despite many people accessing gambling online now.
Many of the stories touch on the impact of mental illness on the sufferer's family but each account is reassuringly patient-centred. If you have a friend or family member who is suffering, or has suffered with poor mental health, this book may speak to you directly in a way that your loved one perhaps cannot. Often sufferers of mental illness, not wanting to worry those closest to them, or feeling that they will be judged or misunderstood, can mask how unwell they are if there are no obvious physical symptoms. Additionally, in some cultures mental illness still carries a heavy stigma - both Sanmeet and Jen mention feeling isolated because they didn't feel their families would understand what they were going through; to exacerbate the problem, there is often a parallel aversion to 'airing dirty laundry' which means therapy is disapproved of.
The stories are brutally honest and devastating, and the collection shines a light on several lesser known conditions, ones which, as Marie says in her story, 'people don't make jokes about in popular culture'. They capture the fear that never leaves you once you realise how fragile mental health can be; as Nicola writes in the first story, 'I'm no longer in that dark place, but I exist on the edge of that deep hole now, and live my life precariously, knowing it is there.' However, the overall message is a hopeful one: each story ends on a positive note, and many of the storytellers have channeled their experiences into helping others. Each author does a commendable job of making their subject a fully-realised human being, so much more than their diagnoses even if they may have times when they feel it defines them.
This book should be read by everyone. If you have had your own struggles with your mental health, these stories will make you feel less alone. If you have friends or family members who have been affected, they will help you to understand what they have been through. If you are lucky enough not to have first-hand experience of mental illness, this book will give you an invaluable insight into what it is like to undergo a mental health crisis in the UK.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
June 14, 2023
This book is so important. It is a collection of true stories of people who have experienced different forms of mental illness, in their own words. Several are deeply affecting, but all help to inform the reader of the effect of their conditions, treatment received, and their recovery. I really hope this book is widely read, as it will help to take the stigma away from these conditions, and make it less frightening for those who find it so. I only read one story per day, so that I could really absorb and consider each one.
September 29, 2024
Joanna Cannon - ex-psychiatrist, she the author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and Three Things About Elsie, has done a wonderful thing here.
She decided to invite people with a wide-ranging variance in mental health issues to have their story given a platform to be heard.
Joanna engaged 12 authors and teamed them up with the storytellers to collaborate and produce this book.
I hear a similar story most days with the people I work with, how they feel isolated and frightened to tell people what is going on for them as it may scare them.
I recall two wonderful, bright, creative, and intelligent people who constantly battle with their mental health, yet can speak to me so eloquently about their struggles that I want to hear more and help more. They, too, have a book inside them, a story to tell. Which I will continue to encourage them to publish.
This book is an attempt to reduce the stigma that prevails in the UK around mental health. I would ask everyone to read this book, to acquaint yourselves with what mental health disorders look like. Not so you can be afraid, but so you might be more understanding of it and empathise.
Excellent work, Joanna Cannon. Thank you for having the idea to do this. I hope you will do another one in the future.
She decided to invite people with a wide-ranging variance in mental health issues to have their story given a platform to be heard.
Joanna engaged 12 authors and teamed them up with the storytellers to collaborate and produce this book.
I hear a similar story most days with the people I work with, how they feel isolated and frightened to tell people what is going on for them as it may scare them.
I recall two wonderful, bright, creative, and intelligent people who constantly battle with their mental health, yet can speak to me so eloquently about their struggles that I want to hear more and help more. They, too, have a book inside them, a story to tell. Which I will continue to encourage them to publish.
This book is an attempt to reduce the stigma that prevails in the UK around mental health. I would ask everyone to read this book, to acquaint yourselves with what mental health disorders look like. Not so you can be afraid, but so you might be more understanding of it and empathise.
Excellent work, Joanna Cannon. Thank you for having the idea to do this. I hope you will do another one in the future.
January 7, 2024
My work as an independent advocate means I speak to people coping with all kinds of mental health difficulties: psychosis, anxiety, eating disorders, dementia, PTSD and more. I don't have any medical training, but I can listen and help people navigate the complicated world of community mental health teams, secure wards and social care. I find reading first hand accounts of living with this so helpful and fascinating. This is a great selection of short accounts of life with mental illness, people traumatised by brutal immigration experience and racism, surviving the Grenfell Tower disaster, gender dysmorphia, post partum psychosis, phobia and OCD. The stories are written by different professional writers in conjunction with the person themselves, so they all have a very different style which I really enjoyed. One is written by Rhik Samadder who some people will know is one of my writerly crushes of course! But they are all excellent. It reminded me of Heavy Light by Horatio Clare that I read last year and would definitely recommend too.
February 23, 2023
Will You Read This Please by Joanna Cannon (editor) is a sample of a collection of short stories about someone’s mental health, written by an author and told by the person involved in the story.
I read three of the stories, all totally different but sad, poignant and very touching. I would like to read the other stories in the book, when it is published.
Recommended
I read three of the stories, all totally different but sad, poignant and very touching. I would like to read the other stories in the book, when it is published.
Recommended
November 26, 2023
What an amazing idea and book.
I loved how thoughtful this book is, how every person's experienced and cherished, how honest and raw people were.
I loved more stories more than others (the first one, about the mum then went through post partum psychosis broke my heart, while the last one, about Frankie, who went through anorexia while transitioning helped me understand - again and again - that when it comes to people there is no "one size fits all").
A non-fiction must read for those interested in mental health, the NHS, books with doctors etc.
I loved how thoughtful this book is, how every person's experienced and cherished, how honest and raw people were.
I loved more stories more than others (the first one, about the mum then went through post partum psychosis broke my heart, while the last one, about Frankie, who went through anorexia while transitioning helped me understand - again and again - that when it comes to people there is no "one size fits all").
A non-fiction must read for those interested in mental health, the NHS, books with doctors etc.
March 29, 2023
This is such a frustrating book to review as I really want to give it 5 stars!! However, as I have only read the first third of the book, I think it would be unfair of me until I’ve read the entirety of it. That said however I will be rushing out and buying this book as soon as able and I’m sure we’ll be able to re-review it and update my star rating.
Will you read this please is a frank and impactful collection of 12 stories, retold by 12 different British writers, and is based on the lived experience of people who faced mental illness in the UK.
The stories told here are powerful, resonant and heartbreaking. This is a groundbreaking, unforgettable collection, sharing a light on the stigma and isolation of living with mental illness, whilst also showing the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
This book felt so different from anything else that I’ve ever read. I’m unsure if that was because each unique story has been penned by a different author or because each persons story was so captivating.
The vulnerability in this book was remarkable. Each story was so personal, and so moving, that it was impossible not to be grabbed from the first page.
I think what the authors, collaborators and editors have managed to create here is something truly unique and wonderful . It’s removing the stigma around mental health in the most powerful way. It reminds us that we all have battles we face each and every day and the bravest thing we can do is talk about our struggles and equally be there for each other.
Will you read this please is a frank and impactful collection of 12 stories, retold by 12 different British writers, and is based on the lived experience of people who faced mental illness in the UK.
The stories told here are powerful, resonant and heartbreaking. This is a groundbreaking, unforgettable collection, sharing a light on the stigma and isolation of living with mental illness, whilst also showing the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
This book felt so different from anything else that I’ve ever read. I’m unsure if that was because each unique story has been penned by a different author or because each persons story was so captivating.
The vulnerability in this book was remarkable. Each story was so personal, and so moving, that it was impossible not to be grabbed from the first page.
I think what the authors, collaborators and editors have managed to create here is something truly unique and wonderful . It’s removing the stigma around mental health in the most powerful way. It reminds us that we all have battles we face each and every day and the bravest thing we can do is talk about our struggles and equally be there for each other.
November 14, 2023
The different stories varied in content and writing style, there were 2 stories which I didn’t enjoy as much due to their very specific writing style but the rest were awesome. There were a few stories I especially enjoyed and the overall message of the book is so very important. I loved the concept, and I’ll definitely recommend this book.
February 8, 2024
This book made me well up so many times. The stories are beyond touching, both heart-breaking and beautiful, gut-wrenching and hopeful. I learnt things about myself I had not fully accepted. This will forever stay with me, and I think everyone should read this book.
January 1, 2025
Incredible stories as told by those living with mental illnesses. Beautiful, honest, heartbreaking words. I have enjoyed this book. Thought it took me a while as I needed to process each individual story 🌻
September 25, 2023
A heavy read at times but a very important one. An easy 5 stars, I felt incredibly seen by so many of the writers’ stories. I really appreciated how this collection didn’t just focus on depression, anxiety and more palatable symptoms of mental illness, instead it included the writers’ experiences of psychosis, being sectioned, conversion therapy and so much more. This should genuinely be required reading for anyone who claims to care about those of us who live with severe mental illness (instead of Matt Haig lol).
January 14, 2024
I had to skip a couple of the chapters because of my own issues, but I enjoyed most of this. Jeremy's story in particular, and the post-partum psychosis experience chapter too.
August 31, 2024
Excellent read for anyone wanting to understand more about mental health issues from the point of view of the person experiencing it.
A short story from each person with their unique experience.
A short story from each person with their unique experience.
March 9, 2023
This collection of essays and memoirs is an open and honest discussion about the serious impacts that mental health, and the subsequent lack of understanding can have on people. Each story is dictated by someone who has lived through a mental health crisis and then written by a UK author.
Each essay merits a discussion and raises timely, critical points about modern health; whether it's the expectation to 'bounce back' while fighting post-partum depression the pressure of unspoken assumptions of emotional labour, societal guilt about sexuality and identity, or the terrifying truth that there is not always a reason for a mental health issue - mental health does not need reasons or explanation to infect someone's life and it does so without apology.
As someone with OCD amongst other issues, I felt this book was immensely valuable as it shows the world of mental health outside of depression and anxiety - both of which are serious and dangerous, but also seem to be the only focus of most discourse on mental health. These essay show us the many different ways we can be affected, and that a mental health disorder is far more serious than 'being sad.'
In In the belly of the flask, they discuss not only sexuality and gender, but the overlooked link between our physical health and it's relationship to our mental safety - it's a difficult read, but it's a blinding statement that shows we need to treat the whole person, not just one symptom.
Another highlight for me was You Can Just Fuck Off, it was almost cathartic despite the horrifying content, because they were angry and allowed me to feel that same anger at people who have overlooked or mistreated people who are suffering, at people who have hurt me and caused trauma. It packs a punch, dealing with religious trauma, conversion therapy, family pressures and other ignorance and hatred that we haven't left in the past as much as we'd like to think.
The essays all have different, distinct voices; but they're personal, conversational and easily laid out in accessible sections. Some of them felt linear and structured, some strings of thoughts - but all of them invoked a deep sense of companionship and a shared understanding.
Now, whether you're looking for a deeper understanding of the effects of mental health for yourself, or to understand someone else better - will you read this, please?
Each essay merits a discussion and raises timely, critical points about modern health; whether it's the expectation to 'bounce back' while fighting post-partum depression the pressure of unspoken assumptions of emotional labour, societal guilt about sexuality and identity, or the terrifying truth that there is not always a reason for a mental health issue - mental health does not need reasons or explanation to infect someone's life and it does so without apology.
As someone with OCD amongst other issues, I felt this book was immensely valuable as it shows the world of mental health outside of depression and anxiety - both of which are serious and dangerous, but also seem to be the only focus of most discourse on mental health. These essay show us the many different ways we can be affected, and that a mental health disorder is far more serious than 'being sad.'
In In the belly of the flask, they discuss not only sexuality and gender, but the overlooked link between our physical health and it's relationship to our mental safety - it's a difficult read, but it's a blinding statement that shows we need to treat the whole person, not just one symptom.
Another highlight for me was You Can Just Fuck Off, it was almost cathartic despite the horrifying content, because they were angry and allowed me to feel that same anger at people who have overlooked or mistreated people who are suffering, at people who have hurt me and caused trauma. It packs a punch, dealing with religious trauma, conversion therapy, family pressures and other ignorance and hatred that we haven't left in the past as much as we'd like to think.
The essays all have different, distinct voices; but they're personal, conversational and easily laid out in accessible sections. Some of them felt linear and structured, some strings of thoughts - but all of them invoked a deep sense of companionship and a shared understanding.
Now, whether you're looking for a deeper understanding of the effects of mental health for yourself, or to understand someone else better - will you read this, please?
November 11, 2023
I loved the sound of this and I strongly believe that we need to share stories about mental health and reduce the stigma. However, this one wasn't for me. I'm not sure why it didn't work for me, but perhaps because the stories were told by professional writers rather than by the people whose stories they were.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2025
I've enjoyed Joanna Cannon's fiction so thought I would give this a go. It's a really worthwhile read as it takes you directly into the minds of those who are suffering from mental health issues as told to a selection of authors. The stories are powerful and you can't help but feel real empathy for those who are sharing their experiences.
January 2, 2024
Picked this up from the library. A very disconcerting, difficult read, particularly if, like me, you have experienced similar traumas. If you're someone who has suffered from mental health problems, be aware that this is a very harrowing read and could be very triggering. Some beautifully written, evocative pieces, but look after yourself with this one. Might be best to avoid this if you're working through the early stages of recovery but could be a great read for those who are further on in their journey to better health.
October 23, 2024
Mental health porn
May 18, 2023
In this book, adults living with a variety of mental health conditions discuss their histories, their diagnoses, and their lived experience of having this condition. They have submitted their stories to a matched writer, who creates a dialogue of what they have been through, and as per the introduction, Dr Joanna Cannon, herself a psychiatrist, has insisted the individuals whose testimonies make up the book, are paid the same rate as the authors themselves.
This adds a level of veracity, a sense of taking these people seriously, not exploiting or sharing their lives carelessly for any other sake than, as Joanna says at the start, to ask the general public to listen.
Not to relate it their experiences, not to offer help, but to sit in a safe space, and quietly work through each of the cases and be present , take on board what is being said as well as what is becoming increasingly apparent-the mental and physical health services in the UK may be having the best of intentions in providing care at the point of need, however, this does not translate into individualised, person centred care.
The gatekeeping of access to services needed-for example, gender specific therapy in the case of Franki Ayres-is immediately obvious. What all of the people have is a struggle to be heard-Alain Knight's tale mentions the 10 minute ward round which happens in his institution on a weekly basis, and the way the room is laid out, the chairs they use, all contribute to create an arena of us vs them, a place where patients struggle to remember what they want to place in front of those who can decide their fates. This can extend from visiting time to access to outside areas and can make or break a patient . The first story, that of Nicola Knight, discusses birth trauma , that contributes massively to Post Partum Psychosis, further exacerbated by baby-not mum-focussed postnatal 'care'.
This book goes deep, and it goes dark.
I had to stop reading several times, as Nicola details it, once you have this mental health condition then you spend the rest of your days aware that there is this part of your personality, intrinsically you but also on a hair trigger.You are no longer the person you are and this acknowledgement is part of a recovery which is lifelong-
''You can't explain that to anyone,so it sets up a distance between people who you've previously been really close to: you've had this experience that has marked and changed you forever , and they haven't.
Rarely have I read a book which illuminates and brings into the light experiences of trauma, survival and adaptation to a life post-trauma. Once this has happened, does your personality become adapted to accommodate what you have been through? And the acknowledgement that this has forever changed you, put you in a before and after situation, is devastating, there is no 'normal' just a 'new normal'. This is how it is for you now.
Releasing this so close to Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK is brilliant, very few people seem to be aware that a diagnosis is just the start of your journey, not the ending of it by giving it a name, myself included as someone diagnosed with anxiety and depression. You don't beat it, it's like grief, it has a weight which therapy, good friends, supportive workplaces and if needed, medication, helps you bear it. Sometimes it takes you over. But what comes through each story here, each life swung wildly off course is that the stigma attached to living with a mental health condition is ever present. And this book goes a way towards contributing to an understanding for those with, and those without mental health conditions , those who support us and keep us going when that weight is dragging you down. This is our lives, written down, born witness to by writers who lend their shoulder to the wheel of bringing what was previously hidden and considered shameful into the sunshine. For here are tales of redemption and hope alongside grief and regret.
Deeply personal, deeply moving and endlessly brave, this is a necessary read for all of us. There is such a long way to go to meet those in need at their point of need. We need to mould the offered treatment to what is needed, not squeeze mental health condition bearers into the boxes society has expected them to fit into. And that is going to take people as brave and strong as Nicola, Marie,Jen,Lewis, Alain,Jeremy, Joyia, Sarah, Sanmeet, Cat, Phoenix and Franki sharing what their reality is , to effect a paradigm shift in mental health service provision.
This adds a level of veracity, a sense of taking these people seriously, not exploiting or sharing their lives carelessly for any other sake than, as Joanna says at the start, to ask the general public to listen.
Not to relate it their experiences, not to offer help, but to sit in a safe space, and quietly work through each of the cases and be present , take on board what is being said as well as what is becoming increasingly apparent-the mental and physical health services in the UK may be having the best of intentions in providing care at the point of need, however, this does not translate into individualised, person centred care.
The gatekeeping of access to services needed-for example, gender specific therapy in the case of Franki Ayres-is immediately obvious. What all of the people have is a struggle to be heard-Alain Knight's tale mentions the 10 minute ward round which happens in his institution on a weekly basis, and the way the room is laid out, the chairs they use, all contribute to create an arena of us vs them, a place where patients struggle to remember what they want to place in front of those who can decide their fates. This can extend from visiting time to access to outside areas and can make or break a patient . The first story, that of Nicola Knight, discusses birth trauma , that contributes massively to Post Partum Psychosis, further exacerbated by baby-not mum-focussed postnatal 'care'.
This book goes deep, and it goes dark.
I had to stop reading several times, as Nicola details it, once you have this mental health condition then you spend the rest of your days aware that there is this part of your personality, intrinsically you but also on a hair trigger.You are no longer the person you are and this acknowledgement is part of a recovery which is lifelong-
''You can't explain that to anyone,so it sets up a distance between people who you've previously been really close to: you've had this experience that has marked and changed you forever , and they haven't.
Rarely have I read a book which illuminates and brings into the light experiences of trauma, survival and adaptation to a life post-trauma. Once this has happened, does your personality become adapted to accommodate what you have been through? And the acknowledgement that this has forever changed you, put you in a before and after situation, is devastating, there is no 'normal' just a 'new normal'. This is how it is for you now.
Releasing this so close to Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK is brilliant, very few people seem to be aware that a diagnosis is just the start of your journey, not the ending of it by giving it a name, myself included as someone diagnosed with anxiety and depression. You don't beat it, it's like grief, it has a weight which therapy, good friends, supportive workplaces and if needed, medication, helps you bear it. Sometimes it takes you over. But what comes through each story here, each life swung wildly off course is that the stigma attached to living with a mental health condition is ever present. And this book goes a way towards contributing to an understanding for those with, and those without mental health conditions , those who support us and keep us going when that weight is dragging you down. This is our lives, written down, born witness to by writers who lend their shoulder to the wheel of bringing what was previously hidden and considered shameful into the sunshine. For here are tales of redemption and hope alongside grief and regret.
Deeply personal, deeply moving and endlessly brave, this is a necessary read for all of us. There is such a long way to go to meet those in need at their point of need. We need to mould the offered treatment to what is needed, not squeeze mental health condition bearers into the boxes society has expected them to fit into. And that is going to take people as brave and strong as Nicola, Marie,Jen,Lewis, Alain,Jeremy, Joyia, Sarah, Sanmeet, Cat, Phoenix and Franki sharing what their reality is , to effect a paradigm shift in mental health service provision.
May 14, 2023
Joanna Cannon has written a number of successful books, both fictional and non-fictional. These include, A Tidy Ending (which I LOVED), Three Things About Elsie and The Trouble With Goats and Sheep, as well as medical memoir, Breaking & Mending. If I'm being brutally honest here, I am more of a fan of her non-fiction than her fiction. That's not to say I dislike the fiction, not at all, but there's something that emanates from her non-fiction writing that is very special.
I read this book when I was on weekend leave from a 4-week long stay in hospital. And it's not just any hospital. This is one of the top neurological hospitals in the country, and so it's fair to say that I, along with other people I met on the ward, have been suffering with our mental health battles, along with physical health battles.
I am lucky in a way that I process my experiences and emotions through writing. It might not be very good writing, but I know how to get it down on a page, for my own and other's benefit. It immediately lifts a weight off my shoulder when I've got it out of me. But, like Joanna, I know there are a lot of people who struggle to get their stories out there, and so they keep them inside, often at even further detriment to their mental wellbeing. And so this is an incredibly important book.
What I liked about it, is it didn't just focus on the obvious depression and anxiety. Yes, they were in there, of course, as well as self-harm and suicidal tendencies. But some of these stories are more niche. We read about a man with a gambling addiction, a woman with a paralysing fear of vomiting, a man who is subjected to conversion therapy to rid him of his homosexuality, and an individual who has to hide their gender identity.
I also liked that, whilst these stories have been written by top-selling authors, there is still clearly the voice of the subject. I have read works by a number of these authors, and so it can often be difficult to rid yourself of your expectations about their writing, and instead focus on the individual in question. And I think that's beautiful. They aren't there for just entertainment purposes. These are real people with real experiences and real stories and real heartbreak, and it's important to keep their words as they are.
I won't lie, it's a brutal read. I don't think that should come as a surprise to anyone. Mental illness, whilst talked about more widely nowadays, is still a very complicated, difficult, and raw experience to discuss. Whilst we are more open about it, a lot of us till have that thought that it's a bit of a taboo subject, that we brush it all under the carpet. And it's not as easy as that. Gosh I wish it was as easy as that. Think about how many lives we could save if it was.
But I think this is one of the most important books to read at the moment. It makes us open our eyes, open our ears, and open our hearts to the troubles of others and ourselves. Like I say, it's a difficult read at times, but in a way, it's also full of kindness and beauty, and it's gentle. That may sound a bit like an oxymoron, but believe me, you'll know what I mean when you read it. It respects mental health and mental illness, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, sexuality complications, suicidal thoughts, self-harming etc. It presents them in black and white, and yet shows that mental health is a long spectrum and we can all find ourselves on it somewhere.
I think anyone would benefit from reading this. If you're in the mental (or physical) health industry, then it will give you a closer understanding of your patients; if you suffer yourself you can see that you're not alone; if you have a loved one or a friend who is suffering, it gives you a chance to respect those who are unwell, and offers hope that you can help someone that may, at first, appear to be in a helpless situation.
It wraps everyone up in a great big warm hug and lets you know that you are loved, and there is support and you are not alone in this.
I read this book when I was on weekend leave from a 4-week long stay in hospital. And it's not just any hospital. This is one of the top neurological hospitals in the country, and so it's fair to say that I, along with other people I met on the ward, have been suffering with our mental health battles, along with physical health battles.
I am lucky in a way that I process my experiences and emotions through writing. It might not be very good writing, but I know how to get it down on a page, for my own and other's benefit. It immediately lifts a weight off my shoulder when I've got it out of me. But, like Joanna, I know there are a lot of people who struggle to get their stories out there, and so they keep them inside, often at even further detriment to their mental wellbeing. And so this is an incredibly important book.
What I liked about it, is it didn't just focus on the obvious depression and anxiety. Yes, they were in there, of course, as well as self-harm and suicidal tendencies. But some of these stories are more niche. We read about a man with a gambling addiction, a woman with a paralysing fear of vomiting, a man who is subjected to conversion therapy to rid him of his homosexuality, and an individual who has to hide their gender identity.
I also liked that, whilst these stories have been written by top-selling authors, there is still clearly the voice of the subject. I have read works by a number of these authors, and so it can often be difficult to rid yourself of your expectations about their writing, and instead focus on the individual in question. And I think that's beautiful. They aren't there for just entertainment purposes. These are real people with real experiences and real stories and real heartbreak, and it's important to keep their words as they are.
I won't lie, it's a brutal read. I don't think that should come as a surprise to anyone. Mental illness, whilst talked about more widely nowadays, is still a very complicated, difficult, and raw experience to discuss. Whilst we are more open about it, a lot of us till have that thought that it's a bit of a taboo subject, that we brush it all under the carpet. And it's not as easy as that. Gosh I wish it was as easy as that. Think about how many lives we could save if it was.
But I think this is one of the most important books to read at the moment. It makes us open our eyes, open our ears, and open our hearts to the troubles of others and ourselves. Like I say, it's a difficult read at times, but in a way, it's also full of kindness and beauty, and it's gentle. That may sound a bit like an oxymoron, but believe me, you'll know what I mean when you read it. It respects mental health and mental illness, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, sexuality complications, suicidal thoughts, self-harming etc. It presents them in black and white, and yet shows that mental health is a long spectrum and we can all find ourselves on it somewhere.
I think anyone would benefit from reading this. If you're in the mental (or physical) health industry, then it will give you a closer understanding of your patients; if you suffer yourself you can see that you're not alone; if you have a loved one or a friend who is suffering, it gives you a chance to respect those who are unwell, and offers hope that you can help someone that may, at first, appear to be in a helpless situation.
It wraps everyone up in a great big warm hug and lets you know that you are loved, and there is support and you are not alone in this.
May 18, 2024
Audiobook from the library 🎧
2.5, rounded up to 3 ⭐
I reserved this on my library app ages ago and it finally became available this week. I was so excited because of the premise (real people telling their real stories of mental illness) and because of the star rating on GR. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
While the premise is such a valuable one, and I'm glad there's another book out there about mental health (that's always a good thing), I think this one disappointed me in one regard: I didn't think the stories were hugely representative of the majority of people struggling with mental health. Which, surely, is the exact thing the project set out to do.
What I mean is, a lot of the stories were about the more severe mental illnesses and, while this representation is important, the majority of people deal with less severe (but still very difficult and debilitating) mental illnesses. And yet there's one story that deals with 'normal' (quote marks important, as I know there's no such thing as normal) anxiety in all 12 stories, and one that deals with 'normal' depression' (I may have forgotten some, to be fair). And yet, surely depression and anxiety are the mental illnesses that affect most people in the UK. And even these 'normal' stories weren't really very 'normal': the anxiety focused on a phobia of vomiting (which, and I've not done research so I could be wrong, I imagine isn't hugely common) and the depression focused on a really traumatic experience (ditto). Where are the stories for the people who live with crippling (but 'normal') anxiety disorder day-to-day?
Also, all but those two (again, I could have misremembered) stories deal with people who've spent time in hospital which - again, I'm making a guess - isn't most people with a mental health condition.
Worst of all, the story of schizophrenia was about someone attacking someone else (on account of the mental illness). While it included a sentence saying 'most people who have schizophrenia don't pose a danger to others...', I felt the best way of showing that was to not show a violent story at all. Because the story will weigh far more than the one sentence declaring the truth. I thought that was dangerous for an already stigmatised mental illness.
Overall, I wasn't impressed at all, when I so wanted to be.
2.5, rounded up to 3 ⭐
I reserved this on my library app ages ago and it finally became available this week. I was so excited because of the premise (real people telling their real stories of mental illness) and because of the star rating on GR. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
While the premise is such a valuable one, and I'm glad there's another book out there about mental health (that's always a good thing), I think this one disappointed me in one regard: I didn't think the stories were hugely representative of the majority of people struggling with mental health. Which, surely, is the exact thing the project set out to do.
What I mean is, a lot of the stories were about the more severe mental illnesses and, while this representation is important, the majority of people deal with less severe (but still very difficult and debilitating) mental illnesses. And yet there's one story that deals with 'normal' (quote marks important, as I know there's no such thing as normal) anxiety in all 12 stories, and one that deals with 'normal' depression' (I may have forgotten some, to be fair). And yet, surely depression and anxiety are the mental illnesses that affect most people in the UK. And even these 'normal' stories weren't really very 'normal': the anxiety focused on a phobia of vomiting (which, and I've not done research so I could be wrong, I imagine isn't hugely common) and the depression focused on a really traumatic experience (ditto). Where are the stories for the people who live with crippling (but 'normal') anxiety disorder day-to-day?
Also, all but those two (again, I could have misremembered) stories deal with people who've spent time in hospital which - again, I'm making a guess - isn't most people with a mental health condition.
Worst of all, the story of schizophrenia was about someone attacking someone else (on account of the mental illness). While it included a sentence saying 'most people who have schizophrenia don't pose a danger to others...', I felt the best way of showing that was to not show a violent story at all. Because the story will weigh far more than the one sentence declaring the truth. I thought that was dangerous for an already stigmatised mental illness.
Overall, I wasn't impressed at all, when I so wanted to be.
August 31, 2024
I have not read this book. So I apologise for that.
Joanna Cannon called me and asked me to write my story and work with an author to do so. Harper Collins went over Joanna Cannons head and stopped my participation.
It upset me greatly and has bothered me ever since. I decided to find out today what was in it. To see if they did cover my issues. That this might explain it. I don’t think they have.
I had applied and she was excited because no one else in the 500 applications had tackled this huge area of mental health, more often than not, a problem for men. She had worked with men in my position but despite that I was the only one to come forward.
Sex addition.
After nearly an hour on the phone she said a contract would be sent and the advance of £1200 (the authors were writing for free but those whose stories it was would’ve sharing the royalties.
She said the writer, once matched with me, would either write it from what I told them or edit what I’d written. Or somewhere in between. My first novel won awards so I was confident I could have a go and see what happened. She said I could start right away.
I wrote 4000 words in the next two days getting all the painful memories on paper. I can’t look at the notebook now.
After those two days I got an email saying there had been a misunderstanding and that I had not been chosen.
Until then I had only worked with Indie publishers but even those I always knew where I stood. I don’t believe them. I know they decided it was too difficult a subject, too controversial.
I tried to say they should really be careful working with people with severe mental health problems and treating them like this. They didn’t want to know.
I had considered talking to Joanna Cannon at one of her readings, by coincidence she lives nearby, but I sure she was overruled. I suspect she would have been deeply unhappy about it because she thought my story was so important to include.
I couldn’t upset her like that but it has bothered me often for about 3 years now.
I believe Cannon was sincere about the importance of this book but not the management. I had very little trust in organisations before this but now I know I am expected to stay quiet.
I will stop now. Maybe writing this will bring me closure.
Anyway it sounds like it was a good book without me!
Joanna Cannon called me and asked me to write my story and work with an author to do so. Harper Collins went over Joanna Cannons head and stopped my participation.
It upset me greatly and has bothered me ever since. I decided to find out today what was in it. To see if they did cover my issues. That this might explain it. I don’t think they have.
I had applied and she was excited because no one else in the 500 applications had tackled this huge area of mental health, more often than not, a problem for men. She had worked with men in my position but despite that I was the only one to come forward.
Sex addition.
After nearly an hour on the phone she said a contract would be sent and the advance of £1200 (the authors were writing for free but those whose stories it was would’ve sharing the royalties.
She said the writer, once matched with me, would either write it from what I told them or edit what I’d written. Or somewhere in between. My first novel won awards so I was confident I could have a go and see what happened. She said I could start right away.
I wrote 4000 words in the next two days getting all the painful memories on paper. I can’t look at the notebook now.
After those two days I got an email saying there had been a misunderstanding and that I had not been chosen.
Until then I had only worked with Indie publishers but even those I always knew where I stood. I don’t believe them. I know they decided it was too difficult a subject, too controversial.
I tried to say they should really be careful working with people with severe mental health problems and treating them like this. They didn’t want to know.
I had considered talking to Joanna Cannon at one of her readings, by coincidence she lives nearby, but I sure she was overruled. I suspect she would have been deeply unhappy about it because she thought my story was so important to include.
I couldn’t upset her like that but it has bothered me often for about 3 years now.
I believe Cannon was sincere about the importance of this book but not the management. I had very little trust in organisations before this but now I know I am expected to stay quiet.
I will stop now. Maybe writing this will bring me closure.
Anyway it sounds like it was a good book without me!
July 11, 2023
This is not a book to diminish with the awarding of stars. It's a clear 5 star concept by Joanna Cannon and as each story is the result of a collaboration between a person with lived experience of severe mental ill health and a published writer, it's going to be a mixed bag.
I wonder if some could have done just as well by themselves. Some I am confident could not.... yet... and possibly my question is a tribute to the skill of the established writers. The participants put themselves forward and I am impressed with the selection depicting a wide range of conditions which have had a severe impact on the sufferers' (and they have suffered) lives and on the lives of those around them. More than that we see the relevance of circumstances, how the competence and decency of family, friends, professionals and 'the system' can make a significant difference one way or another and how much misery may have been totally avoidable.
It is striking when reading the remarkably similar accounts of the inpatient experience that admission is often sought and if not sought often welcomed in practice (to me, the small horrors serve to emphasise the extremity of their situation for this to be the case). Evident too is the very long time periods involved - months in hospital, years in recovery, constant vigilance - and the fluidity and imprecision of diagnosis... a story which seems to be about one 'box' turns out to be about another, or many.
The story which stood out for me as a piece of literature was the man left with PTSD after conversion therapy, Jeremy who worked with Tracy Chevalier. I learned something about sleep I have been slow to learn but need to, professionally, from the account of puerpural psychosis. The project has not been afraid to go to the most difficult places, where people have become delusional including someone where there have been appalling criminal consequences. We see how elements of normal life can return but I find the types of employment and the fact that it is part time telling. The book is not presented as education but is a useful guide to signs that something is seriously awry.
I wonder if some could have done just as well by themselves. Some I am confident could not.... yet... and possibly my question is a tribute to the skill of the established writers. The participants put themselves forward and I am impressed with the selection depicting a wide range of conditions which have had a severe impact on the sufferers' (and they have suffered) lives and on the lives of those around them. More than that we see the relevance of circumstances, how the competence and decency of family, friends, professionals and 'the system' can make a significant difference one way or another and how much misery may have been totally avoidable.
It is striking when reading the remarkably similar accounts of the inpatient experience that admission is often sought and if not sought often welcomed in practice (to me, the small horrors serve to emphasise the extremity of their situation for this to be the case). Evident too is the very long time periods involved - months in hospital, years in recovery, constant vigilance - and the fluidity and imprecision of diagnosis... a story which seems to be about one 'box' turns out to be about another, or many.
The story which stood out for me as a piece of literature was the man left with PTSD after conversion therapy, Jeremy who worked with Tracy Chevalier. I learned something about sleep I have been slow to learn but need to, professionally, from the account of puerpural psychosis. The project has not been afraid to go to the most difficult places, where people have become delusional including someone where there have been appalling criminal consequences. We see how elements of normal life can return but I find the types of employment and the fact that it is part time telling. The book is not presented as education but is a useful guide to signs that something is seriously awry.
March 20, 2023
I remember Joanna Cannon talking about the idea for this book on Twitter. I thought it was a phenomenal idea then and now, with a three-chapter taster on NetGalley, I have huge admiration for the book, Joanna Cannon and the writers who worked alongside the people who tell their stories.
We get an insight into how people come to access mental health services through these snapshots of lives that are both extraordinary and extraordinarily commonplace. The voices are clear and the 'professional' writers who bring their stories onto the page seem to act like empathetic conduits. It's a bold idea, sensitively executed.
Despite knowing people who have been sectioned and spent time in mental health facilities, I'm as guilty as the next person for looking away/letting my mind snap to assumptions when I see someone who is acting in a way that is 'different'. It's not an easy read, but all the better for not shying away from the circumstances and sometimes abhorrent treatment (especially in the case of Franki in 1970s, who is given aversion 'therapy' for being gay) that people have endured. This book reminded me a little of the TV series Seven Up - because you got an insight into the story behind the person. An important book that I hope can play a part in shifting assumptions and, hopefully, encouraging empathy.
We get an insight into how people come to access mental health services through these snapshots of lives that are both extraordinary and extraordinarily commonplace. The voices are clear and the 'professional' writers who bring their stories onto the page seem to act like empathetic conduits. It's a bold idea, sensitively executed.
Despite knowing people who have been sectioned and spent time in mental health facilities, I'm as guilty as the next person for looking away/letting my mind snap to assumptions when I see someone who is acting in a way that is 'different'. It's not an easy read, but all the better for not shying away from the circumstances and sometimes abhorrent treatment (especially in the case of Franki in 1970s, who is given aversion 'therapy' for being gay) that people have endured. This book reminded me a little of the TV series Seven Up - because you got an insight into the story behind the person. An important book that I hope can play a part in shifting assumptions and, hopefully, encouraging empathy.
May 8, 2024
𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞? | 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧
★★★★★
𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
A collaboration of 12 stories between authors and those with real life experiences of mental health crises.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟
⟡ Non-fiction
⟡ Mental health/psychiatry
⟡ Short story collections
I was always going to love this as the subject matter is one of my top interests. But I am blown away by the sheer raw feel to the stories, the eloquence of them being articulated, and the unique perspective of the individual.
I thought this collection was chosen to represent a diverse cross section of the population and their unique psychiatric challenges. Readers are fortunate to explore the stories of those from a range of ages, races, circumstances, experiences and professions with the explored mental health issues ranging from bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, postpartum psychosis, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, emetophobia, and anorexia nervous.
This wasn’t a heavy read though. It was powerful, forthright, and insightful with an undertone of education and hope. I hope that this experience has been therapeutic for those who told their stories and it’s a privilege to have read them.
⟡ 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚
⟡ 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟
★★★★★
𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
A collaboration of 12 stories between authors and those with real life experiences of mental health crises.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟
⟡ Non-fiction
⟡ Mental health/psychiatry
⟡ Short story collections
I was always going to love this as the subject matter is one of my top interests. But I am blown away by the sheer raw feel to the stories, the eloquence of them being articulated, and the unique perspective of the individual.
I thought this collection was chosen to represent a diverse cross section of the population and their unique psychiatric challenges. Readers are fortunate to explore the stories of those from a range of ages, races, circumstances, experiences and professions with the explored mental health issues ranging from bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, postpartum psychosis, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, emetophobia, and anorexia nervous.
This wasn’t a heavy read though. It was powerful, forthright, and insightful with an undertone of education and hope. I hope that this experience has been therapeutic for those who told their stories and it’s a privilege to have read them.
⟡ 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚
⟡ 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟
May 12, 2023
‘Will You Read This Please?’ Such a polite title for a book! Especially such a powerful one! When I first heard about this book several weeks ago I was both incredibly excited and scared! Excited for it’s potential, scared it wouldn’t live up to my hopes for it ( because those hopes were heartfelt and high)… a collection of stories from people living with mental illness written in collaboration with well known authors… such a fantastic idea…but what would be the end result… I so, so wanted it to be good! I’ve just finished reading it and I have to say please read this book (not just because the title is so apt!), because it’s not just good it’s incredible!
Throughout my life I have experienced a gradual shift in attitude towards mental illness. It is now more possible to talk about than when I was a teenager, but this book is really special. It covers a broad range of experiences of mental illness with honesty and bravery, and is both heart breaking and hopeful. Mostly it’s very real about the challenges of living with mental illness. This book is very needed. Thank you so much to all those who contributed to it.
Throughout my life I have experienced a gradual shift in attitude towards mental illness. It is now more possible to talk about than when I was a teenager, but this book is really special. It covers a broad range of experiences of mental illness with honesty and bravery, and is both heart breaking and hopeful. Mostly it’s very real about the challenges of living with mental illness. This book is very needed. Thank you so much to all those who contributed to it.
February 27, 2023
I am so glad to receive a sampler of "Will You Read This, Please?". It contained the first three stories of twelve, each featuring a true life account of someone's struggle with mental health, told to and written up by a famous author.
I have to admit, I skipped the first story only as it triggered memories of my own struggle with post natal depression, at a point where I was already feeling low. I am so glad I continued though as the other two stories in the sampler were so powerful and moving.
Jeremy's story in particular, will stay with me for so long. In both the stories I read, I was infuriated with the treatment these people received and compelled to reach between the lines of their story and pull them into a hug. I was moved and inspired by the accounts.
I've preordered the book so that I can read the rest of the stories as soon as I can. I feel this book has a message for everyone who reads it and to society as a whole on how address the stigma and treatment of mental health.
I have to admit, I skipped the first story only as it triggered memories of my own struggle with post natal depression, at a point where I was already feeling low. I am so glad I continued though as the other two stories in the sampler were so powerful and moving.
Jeremy's story in particular, will stay with me for so long. In both the stories I read, I was infuriated with the treatment these people received and compelled to reach between the lines of their story and pull them into a hug. I was moved and inspired by the accounts.
I've preordered the book so that I can read the rest of the stories as soon as I can. I feel this book has a message for everyone who reads it and to society as a whole on how address the stigma and treatment of mental health.
March 18, 2023
This is a collection of short stories told to various UK authors about mental health based on the lived experience of people who have faced this illness. The stories are written by the author but are told by the sufferer involved in the story.
The selection of stories are completely different but each one needs to be heard. Due to the subject of the book it is probably best to read in short bites with each story emotional, sad and thought provoking.
I was drawn to this book initially by the mention of one of my go to authors Joanna Cannon who edited the book. Better known to me for her excellent novels such as 'Three things about Elsie' and 'The trouble with goats and sheep'.
This is so different to my normal reading of thrillers but nevertheless a worthwhile thought provoking read.
I would like to thank Harper and Collins UK for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The selection of stories are completely different but each one needs to be heard. Due to the subject of the book it is probably best to read in short bites with each story emotional, sad and thought provoking.
I was drawn to this book initially by the mention of one of my go to authors Joanna Cannon who edited the book. Better known to me for her excellent novels such as 'Three things about Elsie' and 'The trouble with goats and sheep'.
This is so different to my normal reading of thrillers but nevertheless a worthwhile thought provoking read.
I would like to thank Harper and Collins UK for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2023
Sometimes I had to remind me that these were true stories, which speaks about the quality of their narrative. All reflect on the pain this people went through but you can see the different styles of the writers as well, so some are a bit more serious than others. I took one star because the second half of the book wasn't so connected with the mental health thematic as others. Like for example the cult one is very chaotic and I was left not fully understanding what the person went through. The other one is the doctor one, didn't felt in the same tone as the others, it was hard to empathize with the person. Is a very interesting concept, I will definitely like to read more stories like this because it make you more empathetic and aware of what's the life of people with these "labels", maybe including some more about depression or social anxiety, which is a topic I find so little material to read.
September 30, 2024
DNF: I’ve had to put this down a couple of chapters into the book. I reached a section that was really triggering to me (it might not be to everyone) and I can’t go on. There are no content warnings and there’s no indication of what issues/illnesses are discussed in each chapter which I wish there were.
It is good that there are books like this that give insights into severe mental illnesses and what it’s like to suffer from them because there is a huge amount of stigma around them, but personally I think not indicating what would come up in each chapter was a mistake.
I don’t recommend reading this book if you’re currently struggling with a mental illness, particularly if you’re in a psychiatric hospital or have been and are still grappling with difficult memories and fears surrounding such places.
I don’t know what else is due to come up later in the book that might require warnings.
Maybe when I’m in a better place I will be able to try again.
It is good that there are books like this that give insights into severe mental illnesses and what it’s like to suffer from them because there is a huge amount of stigma around them, but personally I think not indicating what would come up in each chapter was a mistake.
I don’t recommend reading this book if you’re currently struggling with a mental illness, particularly if you’re in a psychiatric hospital or have been and are still grappling with difficult memories and fears surrounding such places.
I don’t know what else is due to come up later in the book that might require warnings.
Maybe when I’m in a better place I will be able to try again.
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