This was yet another deal that I found through Amazon that worked out great. Barbara Gordon writes this account of her life in the 1970's. Barbara was an award winning writer and producer for CBS. She lived with her boyfriend and had many friends, but struggled with anxiety that led to a doctor prescribing Valium. When she suddenly stops taking the medication it leads to two stops in a mental hospital and a long recovery period. The story not only is a journey of Barbara's life, but it also delves into the world of psychiatry and therapy beliefs of that time.
I found this book to be an interesting look into the belief system of therapy and medications, yet it wasn't an overt book on that. It was a story on how Barbara was impacted by the particular people she met in the field. To be honest there were parts of this book that I wanted to pick up a bit "Just get it together Barbara!", but overall a good read.
Part of the reason this book spoke to me was because I used to provide counseling and I've been to therapists... and I know a number of people who happen to struggle with mental illness. I even had a mom (I have several moms) that was committed in a hospital for some time. I was young and removed from her life at that time, but her hospital stay was during the same time period in which Barbara writes. I applaud Barbara for exposing this part of her life and hope that it has provided comfort for others to know they are not alone. Grade: B+
Books read since the beginning of 2012: 17
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