Tatjana V. (tatjana) 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.
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.
