Quiet Room, The:A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness

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Summary: Handle life with care
Review: Finally I have finished reading the book and honestly, I didn't like the feeling when I had to put it down. It is so good. The way it's written sometimes makes it hard to follow; it is not like a story with nice paragraphs and make-up lines, but rather a real account of incidents and peoples' inner feelings which may be complicated and confusing . Reading it is like reading a journal and it is authentic and powerful. I liked the chapters about the people around lori, her family and friends and the professional people on the case, what they saw and how they felt about what happened. A sickness and the journey it takes to fight it isn't just about the person who has it, it is also about the people around. I think the book gives a very rich picture in that respect. Life doesn't always turn out to be what we want, and in the case of lori, it is one of the worst, but the care we have from other people and ourselves makes it easier for us to go on.

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Summary: Unbelievable
Review: I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. The fact that Lori grew up in the same county as me, attended the same college (Pace), shopped at the same stores, and ate at the same places made it so real to me, like she was speaking to me, right there in the same room. Although I do not have the disease, I know of people who do, and I too, thought there was little hope for them. When Lori would describe where she had gone on what day and time, I tried to look back and remember what I was doing at that time. Being from an affluent area, one can really lose sight that these things happen to real people - not just crazy people in the middle of no where. I would love to meet Lori or find out how she is doing now. If you are from Westchester NY, especially, and have an interest at all in psychiatry or pscyhology - you should definitely read this book.

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Summary: A illness of its own
Review: I chose to read this book for a project at school because mysister Andrea in California is suffering from this disease. I havelearned a lot about the illness through the mind of Mary-Beth (Lori Schiller). I think that it is good that she was able to recognize that she was encountering an illness. To be able to see the problem and put it into remission, and then to turn around and write a book on how she did it, she helps other people get a better understanding. This disease can tear a person and their family apart very slowly. I know that my sister will soon end up the way Mary-Beth did if I do not seek help for her. By reading this book it gave me a preview of what things could be like. I only pray that they do not get any worse ... As far as the book, I liked it a lot and I thought it was very educational.

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Summary: speechless
Review: I don't know how to say how great this book is. I think society rejects mental illness as a bogus and nothing to pay attention to, but I found Lori's experiences to help me understand myself better than most of the other stuff out there has. All I can say is read this book, and let it tell you what it has to, and be your own judge. There is little I can do to help someone understand how enlightening this account can be.

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Summary: You MUST read this book
Review: I first read this book when I began working with adults with mental illness. It is an amazing book that does something that most books cannot. It gives the reader an insight to the struggle with schizophrenia for the individual, as well as their loved ones. Regardless of your profession or contact with people with mental illness, every person owes it to themselves to experience Lori's story. It breaks down stigma attached to Schizophrenia and illustrates to the reader that mental illness can affect anyone, directly or indirectly.

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Summary: Great true story
Review: I read this book a year ago, but I still remember how much it affected me. As I am resident of Westchester (she lived in Scarsdale) and a young woman of 22 yrs old (at the time), her story had a major impact on me. Her story made schizophrenia a real possibility for anyone. She was very intelligent, went to an ivy league college, had friends, a seemingly good life. But the disease got hold of her anyhow. I couldn't put this book down. And I was proud of her in the end for combating her illness enough to life alone at the age of 30. I don't want to give any more of the story away. I highly suggest anyone reading it.

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Summary: The Most Profound Journey
Review: I thought I went through imense things in my life! From trials to victory, Lori Schiller went through one of the most indiscernable mental illnesses in the world. Lori Schiller, a living testimony, fights and goes through distressing moments fighting vulgar words and phrases from the "Voices." It practically hypnosized me-- for the descriptions and all were so reflective and intense. A biography as well as an autobiography, from her perspective to others' perspectives-- it came to the point where I actually felt as if i were her schizophrenic mind. This book almost inevitably made me shed much tears of hurt and anguish and later of joy. I felt as if I were her self-conscience. It is truly the most profound book I have ever read in my life! I truly recommend this book to all, but because of some parts of the context, a mature audience is prefered.

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Summary: I highly recommend this book!!
Review: I thought this book was wonderful! Very informative. The author did a great job at explaining and describing mental illness. I could not put the book down. I have recommmended it to many people.

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Summary: INSPIRATION!! GRIPPING! EYE OPENING!
Review: I'm a psychologist. I attended a seminar several years ago and had the pleasure of meeting this author and hearing her speak. What a courageous soul! The book was excellent; she told her story well! For those of us who are so-called 'sane' -what a shocker to have a personal glimse into how devastating a mental illness can be and how much of an uphill struggle it can be for people like her. What an eye-opening experience! I give her much credit for her battle and she has come out triumphant!!!

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Summary: Schizophrenia comes ferociously to life in this book
Review: If you have any curiosity about the world of the schizophrenic mental patient and about mental hospitals, this book is a must read. Lori Schiller does an excellent job of describing that world in much descriptive detail as she experienced it during the 1980s. And she chronicles her descent into deeper and deeper illness and then her amazing recovery after she is placed on the dangerous drug, Clozapine. I could have used a scene or two with dialogue, but as a true personal account, the book is good even so. Lori Schiller's loving parents had the money or perhaps the insurance coverage to sustain her for years in private hosptals. One needs to note that for every Lori Schiller who amazingly recovers from schizophrenia, there are thousands of hopeless patients on back wards of state hospital who, unlike her, will never recover and will never be able to write about their worlds. Lori is a miracle-child in every way.