On the Edge of Darkness

Rating:
Summary: Look somewhere else...
Review: ...if you want to be touched by a book. I have read multiple books on depression and this one was the most disappointing. It was surprising to see so many favorable, gushing reviews for this book.

This book is advertised as different people telling their story about their depression. Reading it, you get the impression that there are no individual voices in this book. It was edited in such a way that all those that are telling their story sound like they are speaking in the same tone, in the same voice. Even stunningly brillant writers, like William Styron, end up sounding flat and robotic. It is strange.

A lot of the stories were disjointed, and there were random snippets thrown in here and there that were entirely out of context for the subject being discussed.

What I am trying to say is that if you want to have your soul touched, try something else. This book is flat and has little flavor. Depression is such a fascinating and complex subject, and this book does not do it justice. There are MANY better books out there. I suggest "Unholy Ghost".

On the Edge of Darkness fails to capture the essence, the hopelessness, the poignancy of depression. It does not convey any human emotion, but reads like fortune cookie gone wrong. It fails to bring you to the edge.

Rating:
Summary: Uneven
Review: Considering how many high-profile people are represented in this book, you would expect the stories to be interesting. Unfortunately, only about half are. The book isn't even interesting enough to be depressing.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting group of voices
Review: I found this to be an easy read and somewhat enlightening discussion of depression. The strength of the book probably lies in offering different views about depression. It's not a great book, but worth reading for support if you're depressed or to hear different people describe the experience of being depressed. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".