A review by flowergrrl
Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us, by Rachel Aviv
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Aviv is among my favorite nonfiction writers, and her first full-length book reminded me why. The depth of her journalism and the thoughtfulness of her cultural commentary are unmatched. I did find myself wanting more of her own opinion, or perhaps more background on the political contexts surrounding madness. But Aviv stays in her lane--which is, here, the ways external narrative constructs interiority--and the result is nevertheless masterful. I recommend this book to anyone willing to expand their understanding of mental illness.
Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Self harm, Suicide, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis