MIND FULL OF SCORPIONS
by Katherine
Tapley Milton
7.27.2007
When I was asked to review this book I was a little sceptical. I thought to myself what do I know about
mental illness, except for a mild case of depression after the birth of my son
I have had no real experience.
Nevertheless I have always had an open mind and this has driven me to
find out more about people of every persuasion – as a freelance writer it’s a
number one necessity. I`m glad now that I have had the opportunity to review this book and to
get into another persons soul; even for a short while.
It’s a story of a Canadian girl, at the age of fourteen, developing
schizophrenia.
The author has been, in my mind, very brave indeed in telling her life
story. Exactly how it
is and no “poor me” in sight. It’s
not just her personal hell of suffering from mental illness from a very young
age, but also of the attitudes of not only the public, which could be excused,
but inexplicably the disgusting way she was treated by hospitals and
institutions. The very places that are
built, supposedly with one aim in mind and that is to help treat and give
patients the very best possible chance of a “normal” life. Even though this book is based on her life in
All through the book the saddest thing for me is that Katherine has tried
so hard to conform, to fit in with the world around her, but because of our
lack of understanding, and yes our antiquated way of thinking that we might
catch something if we stand too close, people shy away from people like her,
not giving her a chance of a little compassion.
She quotes “Mental illness is no respecter of persons, rich or poor,
black or white, a V.I.P. or an unknown, you can experience it. Actually one person in four suffers from
it.
Not only is her life story told in “Mind full of Scorpions”, but there
are also chapters on humour in mental illness, poems and passages and also
about famous people who have suffered from it, which I found very interesting.
The whole book is written without a scrap of self-pity. It is told `as it is’. It is very well written and doesn’t overcome
you with technology.
Today, Katherine is a married woman, living in a small university town
in
Whether you suffer from schizophrenia or know someone who is going through
this agony, or even just to understand mental illness in general, this book is
for you.
It is very thought provoking and at $12.99 is a book worth reading.