Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness

"Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness" is an autobiographical work in which distinguished novelist William Styron recalls his battle with clinical depression. A lean 84 pages, this is a straightforward and eloquent book.In an author's note, Styron explains that this book started out as a lecture given at a symposium sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The lecture was developed into a "Vanity Fair" essay before ultimately becoming this book.Styron describes depression as "an insidious meltdown" of the mind, a "tempest in my brain." He reflects on the depression and suicide of other individuals whose lives had touched his. He describes in detail his own struggle with suicidal thoughts. Also covered are the medications he took, as well as his hospitalization and therapy.Styron's book is both a fine piece of literature and a very informative window into a particular mental illness. Styron has been in the pit of despair, but has survived; I commend him for his courage and candor in sharing his experience in "Darkness Visible." Recommended companion text: Audre Lorde's "The Cancer Journals," about a poet's battle with breast cancer.

It is wonderful that a writer of Styron's calibre has given to us such a cogent and humane description of one of the great plagues of our times -- depression. He has truly opened his soul and showed us the agony of depression with, fortunately, a "happy" ending. At the very end there is a glimpse of hope; that commodity for which the depressed soul yearns. I cannot recommend this book too highly. After reading it I felt I became more of a member of the human race!

I could not help but be comforted by the the words of William Styron in Darkness Visible. As his novels intriqued me and delighted me this account of his experience with depression gave me support. It made me realize that no one is safe from this dreaded affliction. What I felt Styron put into words. He made my craziness feel a little less crazy. Styron is a wordsmith of the highest caliber. This book should be read especially by families of those suffering from depression. It gives such vivid descriptions of what it is really like to suffer from depressssion. Sometimes it becomes more real when one so esteemed can express what it is really like. He made me feel just a little more normal and understood. I am sorry I waited so long to read this selfless and inspiring account of a disease so misunderstood. Thank you for your honesty Mr. Styron

My one-line summary is a cliche, of course, but entirely appropriate; after all, if fatigue is but one of depression's many demons, what person suffering from this affliction is going to have the energy to read a lot? (Darkness Visible is, fortunately, about eighty pages long. I think it's great fortune that the book is short.)I think it's important that this book was written by an author of the same stature as famous writers who did take their lives. The difference is that Styron came out on the other side of this malady, saw it for what it was. At times he makes remarkable observations on depression, worthy of a clinician in a psychiatric hospital; for example, when he writes sentences such as, The physical symptoms of this affliction trick the mind into thinking that the situation is beyond hope.As with many, Styron's physical predisposition to depression (a), led to (b) feelings of despair, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts, which further fed the symptoms and perpetuated the disease.This literary work helps dispel the idea that depression is "fashionable" and that suicide among the literati is "cool."His "no holds barred" discussion honors those who fight this affliction.(By the way, the title is from John Milton's epic "Paradise Lost," "darkness visible" is one of many ways Milton described the Hell into which Satan and his demons were tossed.)