Rating: 
Summary: Moods In The Extreme
Review: This is a much needed,insightful memoir by a woman with manic-depressive illness. It is beautifully written, perceptive and powerful in its descriptions of manic, hypo-manic and depressive states and her struggles with treatment, especially taking lithium well after her moods have been stabalized. She emphasizes the importance of staying on medication and the mental tug-of-war to stop, for the energy of mania is extremely seductive. As a clinician and therapist who often works with people with Bipolar Disorder ( a term Jamison is offended by ) I was looking for information that would help me understand and become more hopeful and thus more able to pass that hope on to the clients I see. "An Unquiet Mind" gave me a lot to reflect upon and incorporate into my interactions as it has increased my understanding of manic-depression and the people with the illness. However, it is not written just for therapists or just for people with manic-depression, though it is necessary and invaluable for both. It is also recommended for those who want to broaden their perceptions, deepen their insights, and increase their understanding of the effects of moods in the extreme. It also attests to the beauty and wonder of the courageous human spirit. Highly Recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Proof of progress & hope
Review: Although I am not bipolar, when I heard Kay Redfield Jamison talk
a few years ago about her situation as a medical resident with
bipolar at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute, which became the
basis for her book, "An Unquiet Mind," I felt an unexpected
connection. Prior to Dr. Jamison's book, I had never read
anything that described what it is like to have a mental
condition from the patient's point of view written by the
patient. Here we have embodied in the same person a psychiatric
doctor who knew the physiology, the various drugs and treatment,
etc, OF the condition WITH the condition. Primarily her memoir is
that of the patient, coming to grips with what is happening to
her, at times fighting so hard to maintain contact with her
sanity, at other times losing her grip, losing all control.
Periodically DR. Jamison drops in to clarify things for us.
She is very honest about the torment of the condition, the
ramifications it was having on her life, and her fear of what
its revelation might mean to her career; and she also tells us
about some of the progress they have made in treating this
condition. Dr. Jamison is truly courageous in giving this book,
her story, to us and in doing so she offers us hope that "our"
conditions will eventually find their proper treatment. For years
on and off, I have persued treatment with little success. But
because of Dr. Jamison's truthfulness and her successful
treatment at UCLA/NPI, I decided to go to UCLA/NPI too, come to
terms with my condition as a medical condition (like diabetes or
any other long term illness) and see if there was any treatment
that I was not not aware of that could help me. They've been
wonderful to me there, but we just haven't found that right
combination yet. With doctors who are willing to be honest,
as Dr. Jamison is, who are compassionate and really working for
their patients to get successful treatment, I have gotten the
courage and the hope to keep trying. But I doubt it would have
been possible without Dr. Jamison's book to kick it off.
Rating:
Summary: Memoir of Truth
Review: Alisia Horton, I have been a fan of Memoirs for years, looking at the reality people face as apposed to the fantasy in reading material. This book by far is one of the best books, best looks at what a manic depressant type of person must go through in thier daily lives. I am amazed at how well this author captured her life in the pages. Also recommended: Nightmares Echo by Katlyn Stewart,Lost Boy by David Pelzer, and Beauty For Ashes by Joyce Meyer
Rating:
Summary: captivating and poignantly real
Review: Three years ago, I was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder (manic-depression). I read this book, which is a personal account by the author of her experiences as a bipolar patient, shortly afterward. It has been a tremendous help. Jamison describes so many of the struggles and obstacles that I've faced in the process of coming to grips with my illness with eloquent and powerful realism. I have recommended this book to several bipolar patients and to people who want to understand manic-depression on a personal level (including my parents). Jamison's account is brave and brutally honest. I left the book feeling blown away that someone else not only understood what I was going through, but also had been there herself. This book does wonders for those of us who face mental illness -- helping us to know that we are not alone, and it could have an amazing impact on the public's understanding of psychiatric illness if it were widely read. This is one of the few books in my library that I will read over and over again. I would recommend it to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: painless, not perceptive
Review: Okay, now let's see. Jamison is blessed with a hyperintelligent, loving family, wonderful colleagues, supportive boyfriends, and amazing doctors. As someone with bipolar, who has none of the above, I found it hard to relate to her memoir. Most people I know with mental illness, despite their innate gifts, are not so lucky. Indeed most people I know without mental illness aren't as lucky either. As a result of bestowing three to five complimentary adjectives upon most of the characters and glossing over the few painful interactions included, Jamison's book comes off like a Disney World version of manic depression. Indeed it is courageous of her to "come out" like this only if things really aren't as wonderful as she's presented them here. Tracy Thompson's and Martha Manning's memoirs of depression do a much better job of portraying the pain and frustration of a mood disorder, and were a lot more honest and well-written. AUM does have some evocative descriptions, but look elsewhere for stunning insights and carefully crafted prose.
Rating: 
Summary: The Authoress is a drunk and a hypocrite
Review: One of the first rules of psycho-pharmacology is that you do not mix alcholic beverages with antidepressants or other mood altering drugs. Ms. Jamison does not seem to know this -- or is ignoring this very well know fact -- since she is clearly boozing her way through the story and her ensuing manic depressive episodes. No wonder she's nuts. She belongs "inpatient".
Rating: 
Summary: A disturbing, powerfully written insider/expert's account .
Review: Based on my reading of Dr. Jamison's book, she was doubly burdened genetically. Not only did she suffer from serious Bipolar Disorder Type I (formerly known as manic-depressive illness), she also was unusually sensitive to lithium and had very rare side-effects. If my memory is correct, when she took what is usually a therapeutic dose of lithium, it interfered significantly with her ability to read. As someone who lived a life of books and the mind since childhood, and grew up to become a university professor, no wonder she tried to get along without lithium. She eventually settled for a balance: less medication than would be needed to fully stabilize her mood in return for being able to read and focus on intellectual work. Since some reviewers seem to have trouble with the distinction, may I clarify that Dr. Jamison is a psychologist. A psychologist can be a member of a medical school faculty (as can a biologist, a chemist, etc.) Her achievement in becoming a full professor is impressive. And to pass on a comment from a former supervisor of mine: the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist is that a psychiatrist does not have a Ph.D.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: One word describes it! Kay Redfield Jamison has written
an unbiased, fact-filled book about manic-depressive illness;
a book that is also her personal memoir. By writing her
story, she has shed much needed light on a complex
subject. She has done this with an honesty & a bravery that
is truly stunning. Jamison is an AMAZING person, to have accomplished all that she has (e.g. she is a full professor of psychiatry), while coping with a DIFFICULT & very mis-understood illness. And yet - she always keeps her successes in perspective; she emphasizes that without
human love, she surely would not be alive today -- a testament
to what people can do for each other if they care! In addition,
Jamison never fails to give credit to all the factors that contributed to her recovery: medication, psychotherapy, friends,
family & NO ONE giving up on her. An Unquiet Mind shows us how
Understanding & knowledge help erase much of the fear that comes with illnesses like manic-depression. Additionally, Jamison
has a real talent for writing--she has a style that is at once honest & beautiful. This is an eye-opening, heart-wrenching,
enjoyable, ABSOLUTELY - WORTHWHILE - book to read!
Rating:
Summary: The Rings of Saturn
Review: This is an informative read about manic depressive illness, especially for someone who knows little about the illness. It is seemingly hard to look down upon a well written memoir such as this due to its raw passion and detail. Jamison leaves you with a solid message that a combination of taking medication and psychotherapy are what make it possible to live with manic depression.
Rating:
Summary: The Rings of Saturn
Review: This is an incredibly informative book, especially for those who know very little about manic-depressive illness. It is seemingly difficult to look down upon a well written memoir due to it's raw passion and honesty. Jamison tells the interesting life she has had through manic depression and conveys a strong message; a combination of medication and psychotherapy have made life possible for her.
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