In the book "Girl, Interrupted" by Susanna Kaysen, readers are taken on a journey through the author's stay at a mental institution in the 1960s. The narrative provides a raw and honest insight into Kaysen's experiences, offering a glimpse into the mind of a young woman diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The writing style is described as lucid and profound, with short, focused chapters that delve into Kaysen's life during her time at the psychiatric hospital and the period following her release.
Kaysen's memoir not only sheds light on her personal struggles but also raises questions about the definitions of sanity and insanity, challenging societal norms and perceptions surrounding mental health. Through vivid portrayals of fellow patients and caregivers, the author paints a detailed picture of life within the psychiatric ward, showcasing both the horrors and moments of introspection that shaped her perspective on mental illness and recovery.
Genres:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include discussions of suicide, mental illness, self-harm, and institutionalization which may be triggering for some readers.
From The Publisher:
In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, eighteen-year-old Susanna Kaysen was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital. She spent most of the next two years in the ward for teenage girls in a psychiatric hospital as renowned for its famous clientele-Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, James Taylor, and Ray Charles-as for its progressive methods of treating those who could afford its sanctuary.
Kaysen's memoir encompasses horror and razor-edged perception while providing vivid portraits of her fellow patients and their keepers. It is a brilliant evocation of a "parallel universe" set within the kaleidoscopically shifting landscape of the late sixties. Girl, Interrupted is a clear-sighted, unflinching document that gives lasting and specific dimension to our definitions of sane and insane, mental illness and recovery.
Ratings (73)
Incredible (8) | |
Loved It (27) | |
Liked It (21) | |
It Was OK (15) | |
Did Not Like (2) |
Reader Stats (189):
Read It (81) | |
Want To Read (93) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (14) |
1 comment(s)
Gen X sad girl classic
What can you read after
Girl, Interrupted?
About the Author:
Susanna Kaysen has written the novels Asa, As I Knew Him and Far Afield and the memoirs Girl, Interrupted and The Camera My Mother Gave Me. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
