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Changing My Mind
Under intense international scrutiny, Margaret Trudeau has survived remarkable highs and devastating lows. Since regaining control of her life, she has brought her formidable passion to helping others, be they Canadians suffering from mental illness or families living without access to water half a world away. A recipient of the Society of Biological Psychiatry Humanitaria...more
382 pages
Published
2010
by HarperCollins Canada
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I picked up this book looking for information on what life was like when she was the prime minister's wife, so I did go into it with a different curiosity than other readers. Even though I was initially just scouring the book for generic details, I got caught up in it and read it the whole way through.
The story arc of the memoir is pretty clear, and chronological for the most part, and the writing is pretty decent memoir fare. She certainly has a lot of interesting life stories, compelling enou...more
The story arc of the memoir is pretty clear, and chronological for the most part, and the writing is pretty decent memoir fare. She certainly has a lot of interesting life stories, compelling enou...more
Jul 16, 2012
Kathleen Hagen
added it
Changing My Mind: a Memoir, by Margaret Trudeau, Narrated by Maureen McAdams, Produced by Harper Collins Canada, downloaded from audible.com.
Margaret Sinclair and Pierre Trudeau met in unlikely circumstances and spent hours talking. Margaret was barely through highschool and Pierre was in Canadian government and nearing 50 years of age. He became Canada’s Prime Minister, and he and Margaret began dating. Finally, when she was about 21, they married. There was almost a 30-year gap in age between...more
Margaret Sinclair and Pierre Trudeau met in unlikely circumstances and spent hours talking. Margaret was barely through highschool and Pierre was in Canadian government and nearing 50 years of age. He became Canada’s Prime Minister, and he and Margaret began dating. Finally, when she was about 21, they married. There was almost a 30-year gap in age between...more
I was looking for a quickie autobiography when I checked this out of the library but I found it quite engrossing to once again immerse myself in the life and times of the former Mrs. Trudeau. I'd read her previous book but Changing my Mind is told by someone who realizes and, most importantly, accepts that she has a mental illness. She unflinchingly acknowledges some of her past erratic behaviour and the impact it had on her husband and her family, she describes her harrowing hospitalizations, a...more
I read this book because I have a friend who suffers from depression and I wanted to know how Margaret Trudeau managed to accept her condition and find a way back to stabilized health and live as a full functioning person. In this book she does tell her story about her marriage to Pierre Elliot Trudeau and the status distroying fiascos that finally led to the disolution of their marriage and then her gradual realization that she needed drastic mental health care. I did think she managed to name...more
Mme. Trudeau's book deserves a 4-star (I liked it) for the courage taken to confess the mess in her life caused by forces beyond her control - untreated mental or brain hormone disorder, her own moderate mental acuity and the pull of a man with his own (unprobed, it seems) mental "disorder", P. Trudeau, and that under the great treatment of Ottawa's Dr. Cameron, she found healing and stability. It deserves much less (1-star, didn't like it) because she makes too many attempts to give penetrating...more
Was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I liked reading about her marriage to Pierre Trudeau and some of the diplomatic things that happened during that time period. I also appreciated how she talked about her bipolar disorder, and was frank and candid about the dark periods and what happened to her.
Her love for her children really came through in this book.
I think that the book could have used some editing as she used the phrase "this was the happiest time in my life" about 8 times.
Stil...more
Her love for her children really came through in this book.
I think that the book could have used some editing as she used the phrase "this was the happiest time in my life" about 8 times.
Stil...more
Margaret Trudeau was the wife of the late Prime Minister Trudeau. I was only 11 when Trudeau married Margaret and I remember when Justin was born, and I remember that there was often scandolous talk of Margaret as the wife of the prime minister, but being so young didnt really understand or wasn't really interested.
Reading it now at an age I can understand I enjoyed it.I am not into politics etc but Margaret's writing style is easy to read. I did find it a bit repetitive at times. She must say...more
Reading it now at an age I can understand I enjoyed it.I am not into politics etc but Margaret's writing style is easy to read. I did find it a bit repetitive at times. She must say...more
The book was definitely a page-turner, even though I am not fascinated with Pierre Elliott Trudeau's life and entourage nor have I ever been. There's something about Margaret Trudeau that made me want to know more. She always seems so upbeat, yet was a PM's wife. She married P.E.T yet partied with some of the Rolling Stones and had an affair with Ted Kennedy. Her life was full of contrasts. For a big part of her life, she was lost and this is clearly explained and well detailed throughout the bo...more
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Not being a historian, or someone who follows politics, this was an interesting read which made me recognize again the social influences involved in decision making and piqued my curiosity about the famed Pierre Trudeau - whom I will read about in the near future thanks to reading about one side of this public relationship. As well, the inside look at bipolar disorder and the witnessing of how depression marked this famous, wealthy socialite is certainly publicity and acceptance needed to help a...more
Written in a straight forward manner, this is the story behind the story... and a look at bipolar disorder from the perspective of a woman whose behaviour was puzzling to most everyone who witnessed this period of Canadian history.
Margaret's sharing of her story brings mental illness a little further out of the 'closet', and illuminates how society and the medical community often misunderstand, mistreat, and mis-diagnose. Having lived through a major depressive episode myself, I was able to rela...more
Margaret's sharing of her story brings mental illness a little further out of the 'closet', and illuminates how society and the medical community often misunderstand, mistreat, and mis-diagnose. Having lived through a major depressive episode myself, I was able to rela...more
This was definitely not my favourite book... not even close. I really disliked all the name dropping and little remorse for essentially abandoning her kiddies with her husband and being a pretty crappy wife... and I'm from Alberta so one would think anything trashing Pierre Trudeau in the slightest would make me happy. This book did pretty much the opposite - I think maybe he was kinda cool (sorry - still can't forgive the NEP though).
In the last two or three chapters I my rating of this book i...more
In the last two or three chapters I my rating of this book i...more
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I found this an easy and interesting read as I was to young to remember Trudeau-Mania and perhaps, was born to far west to have been caught up in it! But I was very disappointed/unimpressed with a lot of things... I thought the book had a lot of contradictions in it (finally started dating again in 1980 after what appeared to be a lot of dating...), she abandoned two families, and the name dropping... ugh. I was very disappointed and disgusted when she is pleased that after 'one trial and two ap...more
A very honest account of living with bi polar illness. It was very straight forward and helpful in understanding this illness a little better. With all her ups and downs I found I really liked Margaret. A few very close people in my life suffer form this mental illness and I know every day is a struggle with the illness and with the stigma that surrounds it. It was very brave of Margaret to be so honest and to bare her soul. I am very glad that i read this book.
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May 27, 2012
Kath
is currently reading it
So far I am loving this book. It may not appeal to younger readers, but Margaret was always in the news when I was in my teens and twenties. Her long road to find out what her mental health issues really are explain so much of her behaviour as a young woman (like running around with the Rolling Stones!). So far finding this really interesting. She is a great at advocating that people can be normal and productive despite mental health illness.
This book has some of the predictable elements that come with a memoir of a spouse of a famous person...state visits, meetings with very influential people, the feeling of being in someone's shadow, but I felt it was handled well. I also gleamed more history about Pierre Trudeau, a fascinating Prime Minister. The description of Margaret's experience living with her bi-polar was also interesting and a positive example of putting a face to this disorder.
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I was pleasantly surprised to find this book enjoyable. It is a very honest account of her life ( behind the headlines we read) and it was very interesting. I read her first 2 books years ago and they were more about some of the bizarre things she did. Now that she has been diagnosed as bi-polar (and is being treated) and also more "mature", she "comes across" as a very human and likable person.
This was a very good book to read if you are interested in mental illness, especially bi polar disorder. She does end on what I see as much to positive a note though, as if she has overcome the disease through medication and therapy. I don't think it is even going to be thoroughly overcome. It will continue to be quite a struggle.
I am glad she has a more balanced life now thought
I am glad she has a more balanced life now thought
I enjoyed the stories about her life with Pierre and the kids. But otherwise found her to be annoying. It felt like she spent the first half of the book name dropping, and then the second half blaming Pierre for everything. Despite the fact that she repeatedly says she needs to stop blaming others for her problems. I wonder if there's a personality disorder along with the bipolar.
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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I didn't find this a compelling read at all. Maybe she just needed to make some money, so decided to write another book. It still seems like her insight into her condition is lacking, and I found some parts contradictory. I also agree that there was too much "Name dropping", and not enough of what I could say came across as true feelings.
I found the book very interesting and well written – a bit of a surprise actually. It describes, from Margaret's point of view, the scandalous behaviour we have heard about. The author was diagnosed as bipolar many years after her time at 24 Sussex Drive. I ended up with a different view of P.E.T. and with great respect for her children.
Margaret Trudeau's style is chatty, frank and easy to read. She tells her entire story from birth to the present with a focus on her mental illness. Most of the details I knew but some I didn't. It was interesting to get behind the scenes, so to speak. Her description of what it's like to have bipolar disorder is also illuminating.
Like other late baby boom readers, I was a tween/teen during the Pierre and Margaret days. So, I read this memoir with great interest - fascinated by the age difference between the two and how Margaret coped (and didn't cope) with the imposed lifestyle of a Prime Minister's wife. Throughout the book, Margaret is open about her often bizarre behaviours and indiscretions. She is most courageous though in sharing details about her life-long struggles with mental illness and recounting her painful l...more
I'm not much of a biography reader but her story interested me having grown up in Canada during Pierre Trudeau's time in office and hearing comments made by adults about Margaret Trudeau. It was insightful in regard to bi-polar disorder particularly from the viewpoint of someone who fights that internal battle.
Interesting. She has good insights into her manic-depressive behaviour and it helps to understnad some of the ways she acted in the 70's when her condition was undiagnosed and not understood. She is very candid about her illness, the difficulties in finding appropriate treatment, and her family.
Worth reading.
Worth reading.
One of the most touching stories I have ever read. Really hit home with a lot of her words. She is a role model for those with mental illness, and proof that those with mental illness CAN live successful, full lives. Anyone with a mental illness or who knows someone with a mental illness should definitely read this book!
This book gives good insight into bi-polar illness and the taboo placed on mental illness for so long. This book shows how it is becoming a topic that is more openly and honestly discussed, there is a long way to go both in society's view of mental illness and the health care systems programs, education and treatment for mental illness. Margaret Trudeau's book is eye opening to the true, heart breaking illness and how it affected her and the life of her family.
Ms Trudeau shares her battle with bipolar disorder with brutal honesty. Her losses of both her son,Michel and his father,former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau,were made more traumatic by her illness. I couldn't put this book down.
Simply astonishing! I experienced so many emotions while reading this biography. Margaret Trudeau was honest, open and unselfish in this book. I can't stop thinking about her and her life experiences.
Well told and open about her life. So informative and insightful. I could not put it down. If you are searching to understand bipolar - this will help.
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Dec 31, 2012 09:42am