Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of And I Don't Want to Live This Life

And I Don't Want to Live This Life
bookcrazychick avatar reviewed on + 76 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


This is one of my all time favorite books! I have read it many times. Nancy Spungen was a profoundly disturbed child who got NO help at all from the medical community. I'm not sure if was the times (she was born in 1958) or what but my heart abolutely breaks for this family and what they endured with her. As a child she tried to stab a sitter with scissors and attacked her mother with a hammer. Doctor's response? Just a phase, normal, etc. Absolutely NUTS!! Many years later Mrs. Spungen saw a doctors report that mentioned the possiblity of schizophrenia but this same doctor did not share his thoughts with the Spungens and in fact quit seeing her after that. Once again, not sure if it was the times but it appeared that doctors just kept passing her off to be rid of her as they really didn't know what was wrong or what to do with her. She was born cyanotic (cord wrapped around her neck)and try as she might, Mrs. Spungen could not get any doctor to consider that maybe this had something to do with her problems. Evidently now days doctors do think there is a connection between traumatic births and emotional problems in children and parents get the support and follow up needed. To late for Nancy as she was stabbed to death by Sid Vicious of Sex Pistols fame at the age of 20. Absolutley tragic.