Living With Schizophrenia

This is one of the best books I have read, and THE best one dealing with mental illness. The inside look at the thought processes of two men with the illness is totally eye-opening because you see it from THEIR perspective, not the rest of society's. I recommend this book highly. After reading, I still feel like I'd like to give each of these men a hug.

Being one of Mr. Stuart Emmons's past professors, I was especially intrigued and fascinated by his straightforward, open, and touching account of his encounter with schizophrenia. Whenever a bright, conscientious student disappears abruptly after finishing a course, one ponders about his sudden departure and wonders what has happened to him. For this reason Stuart's candid and illuminating story was especially welcomed. Craig's experience is equally insightful. Together they give the layman a rare opportunity to probe into the inner thoughts of intelligent and articulate men as they cope, relate, create, exist with paranoid schizophrenia. Most laymen, including me, are terribly uninformed, even misinformed, and sometimes insensitive to this mysterious illness. The book should be read at least twice, the first time ignoring the psychologists' repetitious notes which disrupt the flow of the images, thoughts, and actions of the narrators. Their notes can be read! as a whole. Then each of the stories can be reread. The book reintroduced Stuart Emmons to me and we have subsequently exchanged many letters. I highly recommend this relatively slim volume with its tremendous impact and positive message. And congratulations to two courageous and compassionate writers--Stuart Emmons and Craig Geiser.

Mysteries of schizophrenia still perplex family members, therapists and researchers today. "Living with Schizophrenia" (Emmons,Geiser et al.) gives those wanting to know more about the cognitive processes of schizophrenics more than just a glimpse into this disorder. Two first-person accounts are represented by Stuart Emmons and Craig Geiser. Both offer significant insights and rather apt descriptions of personal experiences. Poetry by Emmons and unique artwork by Geiser are also included. However, interspersed throughout the text, one will find unmerciful redundancies in the form of(PN's) or psychologist's notes. The book succeeds as Two first-person accounts without overbearing technical jargon often debated,and offers the layperson or psychology student a good adjunct reference.