Can you suggest some good books that deal with mental illness of a partner or loved one?

Question

I'm looking for fictional novels or short stories..

Answer 1

"I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb. It is the story of twin brothers, one of whom is schizophrenic. Obviously it's fiction, but it's a great read. My brother is schizophrenic, and while we are not twins, it really opened my eyes to a lot.

Answer 2

Here's a big list, broken down into categories, rated like the American movie system - G = suitable for all ages up to R = restricted for older teens and adults - and then given between 1 and 4 stars, with 4 being the best. :)

MENTAL ILLNESS OF A PARENT
So B. It by Sarah Weeks - G - ****
An Egg on Three Sticks by Jackie Fischer - PG - ***
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta - PG - ***

MENTAL ILLNESS OF A SIBLING
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones - G - ***

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
Like the Red Panda by Andrea Seigel - PG-13 - ****

SIBLINGS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Tru Confessions by Janet Tashjian - G - ****
Rules by Cynthia Lord - G - ****

SYNESTHESIA
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass - G - ***

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER or repetitive routines
Multiple Choice by Janet Tashjian - G - ****
Snap by Alison McGhee - G - ****
Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser - PG - ***

TOURETTE'S SYNDROME
Quit It by Marcia Byalick - G - ****

For more titles, visit this booklist:
http://slayground.livejournal.com/74061.html

Answer 3

Best goddamned German pre-romantic book about a sweet and innocent schizoid who was hopelessly in love with Carlotta, the beautiful and listless fianceé of Albert, a man he most admired. I devoured the whole book in one day, and kept wanting more. Written in the epistolary fashion, an unbelievably perfect book.

'Werther', by Goethe.

Keep in mind this man considered himself the best writer of his time and of History up to his time. Very Hegelian, I must say, but he was not too wrong at all. Check it out.

Answer 4

I know you said books ... but I saw the best documentary on paranoid schizopheria .. this was a documentry ON PBS about this girls mom who had this disease all her life and how it affected her and her sister. It was supurb... I have a friend a dear friend who has this and this documentary was my friend to the "T" . I AM SURE it was called Out of the Shadows. There are links to the daughters web site ON THE PBS web site.. You didnt mention what type of mental illness ... so this came to mind.

Answer 5

David and Lisa
I Never Promised You A Rose Garden

Answer 6

I don't have firsthand experience, so I googled quickly the phrase what is a good book about mental illness of a loved one. Here are some of the results. Maybe others can give you a more personal answer, but I figured I'd at least give it a shot. Good luck to you.

http://www.bpso.org/booklist.php (list of books about bipolar disorder of loved ones)
http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:XuvDVTUy2b0J:www.amazon.com/When-Someone-Love-Mental-Illness/dp/0874776953+what+is+a+good+book+about+mental+illness+of+a+loved+one%3F&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3 (when someone you love has a mental illness - this is the cached page, couldn't find a current one - but that's the title of it)
http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:RWNjU73NHkkJ:www.amazon.com/Let-Make-Good-Borderline-Personality/dp/0889626278+what+is+a+good+book+about+mental+illness+of+a+loved+one%3F&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4 (also a cached page, but the title of the book is on the cached page so you can find it elsewhere)
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=what+is+a+good+book+about+mental+illness+of+a+loved+one%3F (this is the actual search page so you can look at your leisure)

Answer 7

The Wall (Le Mur) by Jean-Paul Sartre.