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Daughters of Madness: Growing Up and Older with a Mentally Ill Mother (Women's Psychology)
Daughters of Madness Growing Up and Older with a Mentally Ill Mother - Women's Psychology
Author: Susan Nathiel
June was 9 years old when she came home from school and her schizophrenic mother met her at the door, angrily demanding to know, "Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my house?" In another family, Tess repeatedly saw her mother wait outside church then scream at family friends as the emerged, accusing them of spying on and plotting to kil...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780275990428
ISBN-10: 0275990427
Publication Date: 3/30/2007
Pages: 224
Edition: 1
Rating:
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 2

5 stars, based on 2 ratings
Publisher: Praeger Publishers
Book Type: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 3
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

tatjana avatar reviewed Daughters of Madness: Growing Up and Older with a Mentally Ill Mother (Women's Psychology) on + 27 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book, on first glimmer, seems academic.
In fact, I got it from a University library in an inter-library loan programme. I saw the very crisp, very white pages, footnotes, extensive bibliography and shuddered. It would take me a month to pour through it.
I was fooled.
Though the book is not written as a pop-psych classic usually is, it is a pleasant read. Susan Nathaniel, while clearly an educated counselor, is a lyrical writer. Within one chapter I was mesmerized, but not in that overly emotional, 12-step way. I was mesmerized by the stories of women who are very similar to me... they were my stories too.
Without the feeling of victimization, a sense of outrage or feeling sorry for one's self, this book offers a refreshing sense of kinship with others. I felt I was not alone but I didn't feel the heavy heart that usually makes me stop reading a pop-psych book half-way in. I don't want to know how Jillian's mom locked her in the closet and now she has multiple personalities that she brought together by fasting and using coffee enemas... or whatever.
I wanted to continue to feel ok that I got a crappy hand. That LOTS of people get a crappy hand, but I didn't want to feel as though I should have been sitting in my closet crying over it. If you aren't a victim and you want a factual, documentary-style (okay, it's slanted towards the daughters, but maintains pretty darned good balance!) book that makes you feel like you aren't a complete freak, this is a great book for you.
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