Task 24: Read a Book with a Main Character Who Has a Mental Illness

[Book Riot]

This thread is for dropping ideas, questions, resources, comments, and discussion about Task 24: Read a Book with a Main Character Who Has a Mental Illness.

A few resources to get you started:

http://bookriot.com/2015/09/10/6-nove...

http://bookriot.com/2014/06/03/books-...

http://bookriot.com/2015/10/17/books-...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag/me...

[Bea]

I am planning on Wintergirls, which is about anorexia.

[Rainey]

I have two books in my TBR pile that I can read for this task: Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness or a book that also qualifies for Task 11 as well Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness

[Cheryl]

I am going to read too. Done.

[Ollie Z]

I'm intrigued by the description of Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman and I've picked that for this one.

[Allie]

Jeni wrote: "I'm intrigued by the description of Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman and I've picked that for this one."

I want to read this one too. I heard about it on NPR and it sounded like such a beautiful book.

[Kathryn]

Would Girl, Interrupted count? It's non-fiction.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

I was going to read something from South America, either Delirium or I, the Supreme; the latter could probably double as a book about politics.

But I'm already committed to read Where'd You Go, Bernadette, which I think would qualify for this task?

[Sarah]

Kathryn wrote: "Would Girl, Interrupted count? It's non-fiction."

I really liked that book :)

[Trudie]

I have three possible books for this all I want to read and some which might fit in other spots The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales could also go in the essay or science section I think. The Round House or Norwegian Wood.....good to have a few options.

[Sean]

While I was looking for books to fit this category, I came across The Hours. I absolutely loved Mrs. Dalloway (and would highly recommend it to anyone still looking to fill this task in), from which it draws, so it was an easy choice.

[Tatiana]

I was planning on reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower for this.

[Robin P]

Kathryn wrote: "Would Girl, Interrupted count? It's non-fiction."

Yes, it doesn't specify fiction or non-fiction.

[[deleted user]]

Tatiana wrote: "I was planning on reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower for this."

Does the main character have a mental illness? Just seems to be "socially awkward" from a quick glance at the goodreads description...

[[deleted user]]

Oooh... The Bell Jar or The Silver Linings Playbook or Haldol and Hyacinths: A Bipolar Life...? So many choices. Probably will be Plath because her writing has been a gaping hole in my reading life so far (aside from the poem 'You', which I remember from a GCSE collection).

[Rachel]

Girl, Interrupted. Been wanting to read this book for ages. Just bought it.

[Luce]

I just bought Reasons to stay Alive and a German book called Morgen ist leider auch noch ein Tag ("Tomorrow is another day, unfortunately "), so I'll probably read those.

[Silvia]

I'm planning to read The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer for this. It's been on my shelf for a couple of months, patiently waiting :)

[Bonnie G.]

In reviewing my huge stacks of books TBR I found out I seem to have a penchant for books with characters with mental illness, Its actually a little odd. For these purposes I am between Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament, Madness: A Bipolar Life and The Adderall Diaries. I also considered Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness but think I am going to use that for my book with fewer than 100 pages (I don't double up.)

[Rainey]

Bonnie wrote: "In reviewing my huge stacks of books TBR I found out I seem to have a penchant for books with characters with mental illness, Its actually a little odd. For these purposes I am between Brain ..."</i>

I have [book:Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness and Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness that I am reading for these tasks as well.

[Bonnie G.]

Rainey wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "In reviewing my huge stacks of books TBR I found out I seem to have a penchant for books with characters with mental illness, Its actually a little odd. For these purposes I am betwe..."

We will have to compare notes :)

[Rebecca]

How main does the main character have to be? I was thinking of reading Mary Karr's Cherry .

I've already read it, but I'd recommend Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn because of the main character with Tourette's syndrome. It's a damn good book.

[Bonnie G.]

Rebecca wrote: "How main does the main character have to be? I was thinking of reading Mary Karr's Cherry .

I've already read it, but I'd recommend Jonathan Lethem's [book:Motherless Brooklyn|32885..."

Tourette's is a neurological disorder, not mental illness. But Motherless Brooklyn is really great so everyone should read it anyway!

[[deleted user]]

I'm another going the Challenger Deep route. I read Girl, Interrupted when the movie first came out and thought it was fascinating.

[Poppy]

Kathryn wrote: "Would Girl, Interrupted count? It's non-fiction."

I'm planning on reading it. It's on my TBR list because I'm doing the Rory Gilmore list. I mean ... the requirement isn't to read a fictional book, just a book.

"Read a book with a main character that has a mental illness"

(If the RHC people come after me claiming that I'm doing it rong, I will riposte that it's "who" not "that.")

[Martha]

So far, Irritable Hearts: A PTSD Love Story is my first choice for this category.

[Martha]

A list from Buzzfeed that I found on Pinterest (I didn't have to click 25 times, all books were listed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannareboli...

[Meredith]

I read "The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Into Madness" by Elyn Saks a couple of years ago--highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book in this category. You'll never think of schizophrenia the same way. Her insight into her illness is incredible.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

Rebecca wrote: "I've already read it, but I'd recommend Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn.

Oh, I forgot about Motherless Brooklyn, which is on my To-Read shelf. Maybe I'll use that book instead. Thanks!

[Ashley]

Tatiana wrote: "I was planning on reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower for this."

Excellent choice! I just read that earlier this year and loved it. There's definitely elements of mental health issues floating throughout the story.

[Robin P]

Martha wrote: "A list from Buzzfeed that I found on Pinterest (I didn't have to click 25 times, all books were listed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannareboli......"

Some great books there, I have A Tale for the Time Being on my TBR shelf but didn't know it fit this category.

[Sarah]

I'm currently reading Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson and it is really good. The humor might not be for everyone but it's very honest and has a lighter tone than a lot of other books dealing with mental illness but is still wonderful.

[Bonnie G.]

Robin wrote: "Martha wrote: "A list from Buzzfeed that I found on Pinterest (I didn't have to click 25 times, all books were listed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannareboli......"

It is a great book! It is not about mental illness, but at least one of the two main characters and one of the secondary characters struggle with mental illness.

[Martha]

A Tale for the Time Being was one of my favorite books in 2014. I think it fits this category.

[Megnews]

I've wanted to read The Bell Jar for a long time so I am going to read that for this challenge.

[Jenn T Rogers]

Leslie Ann wrote: "I was going to read something from South America, either Delirium or I, the Supreme; the latter could probably double as a book about politics.

But I'm already commi..."

Where'd You Go Bernadette? is one of my all time faves. Go for it!

I think Challenger Deep will be my choice.

[Brandy]

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things Will probably be my choice. It's been on my TBR since it was released.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

I just devoured Where'd You Go, Bernadette, so I won't be able to use it for next year's challenge. Great book!

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

I just devoured Where'd You Go, Bernadette, so I won't be able to use it for next year's challenge. Great book!

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

I just devoured Where'd You Go, Bernadette, so I won't be able to use it for next year's challenge. Great book!

[Rainey]

Sarah wrote: "I'm currently reading Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson and it is really good. The humor might not be for everyone but it's very honest and has a lighter tone than a lot of other books dealing with m..."

I loved her first book. I didnt realize she had published another book.

[Jay Kay]

I'm going for Furiously Happy as well

[Nelly]

I will probably read either "the mermaids singing" or "the torment of others" both by Val Mcdermid.. i am trying as much as possible to read books that i already own and haven't read yet instead of buying more books, they're pretty expensive in my country - Egypt...both books come in one, and they seem they would both fit this category and the horror one as well...hope someone has ready any of them and give me an idea whether they're good or not :)

[Kate]

Dom wrote: "Oooh... The Bell Jar or The Silver Linings Playbook or Haldol and Hyacinths: A Bipolar Life...? So many choices. Probably will be Plath because her writi..."

I'm also leaning towards The Bell Jar because I have a Plath-shaped hole in my reading past. But I also have the audiobook for Furiously Happy.

[Rachel]

I've had Still Alice sat on the shelf for a couple of months.

[Bobby]

There are so many excellent choices, but I will probably go with Diary of a Madman by Nikolai Gogol, or possibly The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks.

[Kathy]

Since I just received it on hold from the library, I'll be starting Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things. Love the cover.

[Desiree]

I was thinking about reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time since it's told from the point of view of someone with autism spectrum disorder. I plan on going to see the new play based on it so I thought this would be an easy one to check off.

[Leslie]

Kathy wrote: "Since I just received it on hold from the library, I'll be starting Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things. Love the cover."

Sarah wrote: "I'm currently reading Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson and it is really good. The humor might not be for everyone but it's very honest and has a lighter tone than a lot of other books dealing with m..."

I'm enjoying Furiously Happy as well. It is refreshing to hear someone talk about her illness seriously and with humor at the same time. Hearing how Jenny copes, how she's structured her life, and has relationships gives hope and, hopefully, takes away some of the stigma of depression and anxiety.

[EllenZReads]

I think I read this book many years ago but can't remember so I'm reading it (possibly) again: Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness