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Reviews tagging 'Grief'
While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence by Meg Kissinger
18 reviews
westeggspinster's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
louiepotterbook's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
kelly_e's review
4.5
Author: Meg Kissinger
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: September 5, 2023
I received a complimentary eARC from Celadon Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Candid • Traumatic • Impactful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
While You Were Out begins as the personal story of one family’s struggles then opens outward, as Kissinger details how childhood tragedy catalyzed a journalism career focused on exposing our country’s flawed mental health care. Combining the intimacy of memoir with the rigor of investigative reporting, the book explores the consequences of shame, the havoc of botched public policy, and the hope offered by new treatment strategies.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I have a keen interest in books (particularly memoirs) that tackle and advocate for mental health issues, so I was grateful to be offered an advanced reader copy of While You Were Out. I was unaware of who Meg Kissinger was ahead of picking this one up, yet I quickly came to hold a special place for her and her siblings in my heart.
Meg tells her family's story in a moving, yet professional manner. She combines personal memories and experiences with steadfast research to deliver a heartfelt exposé of a system failing the most vulnerable of people. From a young age the Kissinger family was faced with continual heartbreak, and yet somehow Meg is still here to tell their story. This is a memoir that will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will make you empathize. And it will make you angry at a system designed to fail.
While You Were Out is an important and impactful addition to the growing list of mental health literature. I could not put it down. It's a memoir I won't soon forget, and will be continually recommending. If you do decide to pick this one up, I'd definitely suggest proceeding with care for yourself.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• memoir readers
• fans of Educated and/or The Glass Castle
• mental health advocates
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"This is what telling your story can do, she told them. It can bring the dead back to life - not in the same way but as a kind of transformation. It doesn't take away the injury, but it can give you a feeling of power when you are in control of the narrative. The balance is shifted back to you. There's new life, resurrected."
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Abortion, and Pregnancy
death of sibling, anxiety, depressionalexisgarcia's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
elliez's review
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Terminal illness, Vomit, Antisemitism, and Abortion
Minor: Car accident and War
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident and Abortion
caseythereader's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
theoceanrose's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Suicidal thoughts