William Styron's short memoir concerning his battle with depression is poignantly painful. He recounts the course the disease took in his own life and his struggles to emerge from the suicidal effects in this short book. Sadly, his point that no one who hasn't experienced this debilitating disease can ever understand the physical and emotional pain it causes is absolutely correct. For those who don't suffer from depression, he offers insight, although it's impossible to convey the scope of the pain. But for those who have struggled with this disease, I suspect there's an understanding here that will reach out and assure them they are not alone. And that is what makes the book worth reading.