A review by karnaconverse
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker

 

Harrowing and heart-breaking, yet a hopeful discussion about mental illness and the science behind it

It's hard to imagine raising a family of twelve born from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s, but it's downright unnerving to learn about the mental illnesses that affected six of the children—and difficult to read how the family, the community, and the medical establishment responded to their needs. But: Kolker's deep dive into the science community's debate of nature vs. nurture and the variety and evolution of studies conducted about the brain offers evidence "that psychosis exists on a spectrum, with new genetic studies showing overlap between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and bipolar disorder and autism." In the 1980s, the Galvin family became the subject of researchers who were trying to understand schizophrenia; today, and with its technological advances, their genetic samples "are forming the cornerstone of research that has helped unlock our understanding of the disease."

 Another reason to read this book: "Across the world, schizophrenia affects an estimated one in one hundred people—or more than three million people in America, and 82 million people worldwide. By one measure, those diagnosed take up a third of all the psychiatric hospital beds in the United States. By another, about 40 percent of adults with the condition go untreated entirely in any given year. One out of every twenty cases of schizophrenia ends in suicide."

Also of note: A four-episode docuseries, "Six Schizophrenic Brothers," aire in 2024; it is narrated by Mary, the youngest and one of two daughters born to Don and Mimi Galvin (and who has since noted disappointment in how it portrays their story). I plan to watch it. 

2024 Omaha LIbrary Challenge: Read a book about or featuring technology and culture.