• Darkness Visible

  • A Memoir of Madness
  • By: William Styron
  • Narrated by: William Styron
  • Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (488 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Darkness Visible  By  cover art

Darkness Visible

By: William Styron
Narrated by: William Styron
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $8.10

Buy for $8.10

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER •

A literary tour de force that chronicles a prize-winning author's descent into an almost suicidal depression.

"Compelling ... Harrowing ... a vivid portrait of a debilitating disorder ... It offers the solace of a shared experience."—
The New York Times

A work of great personal courage and a literary tour de force, this bestseller is Styron's true account of his experience of crippling depression. Styron is perhaps the first writer to convey the full terror of depression's psychic landscape, as well as the illuminating path to recovery.

©2016 William Styron (P)2016 Random House Audio

What listeners say about Darkness Visible

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    343
  • 4 Stars
    99
  • 3 Stars
    33
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    280
  • 4 Stars
    84
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    294
  • 4 Stars
    75
  • 3 Stars
    30
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Intimate and revealing

Eloquent and intensely personal extended essay about the author's major depressive episode. Many writers have attempted to put into words the inexplicable and indescribable despair that accompanies serious depression. The physical aspects, the loss of hope and desire and pleasure, the mental tailspin, the slipping away of concentration and focus, the inability to engage in life's necessities (like sleeping and eating) let alone life's pleasures. Styron lays himself bare and in doing so, has added to the canon of works revealing that desolation that seems unique to the human condition.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I had no idea.

A friend of mine who is suffering from depression recommended this book, and I am so grateful that he did so. I had no idea depression was so horrible.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read and a necessary share..,

What made the experience of listening to Darkness Visible the most enjoyable?

The spot on and hands on descriptive analysis made this book a must read for me. I too suffer from depression although mine is of the bipolar type which includes manic and depressive episodes.

What did you like best about this story?

What I liked best (it was hard to choose just one) was Styron's ability to bring to life the horrible and debilitating disease of melancholia (depression) while continuously highlighting the highly sought and achieved occurrence of recovery that comes with understanding and awareness.

Which scene was your favorite?

The author did such a fantastic job of writing this book I could not nor would not pick out a particular scene to which I would claim favoritism.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Had the time been available to me I would have listened to the book in one sitting. I did read the book prior to listening to the audible version. I will no doubt listen to this countless times so I can share with effectiveness the truths about depression and recovery.

Any additional comments?

I believe this book has great potential to assist those who suffer from melancholia (depression). I will share Styron's memoir with countless people in the hope that they will embrace the promise of a better time ahead after suffering through each episode of despair. Great write and great read! Thank you William and God bless.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The best

This is the BEST book to understand the black hole that depression is. And I have read many books on the disease so it is with confidence that I say it is deservedly the best. Read it about 10 years ago. Listened to the Audible version a week ago. If you truly want to understand and have deep empathy for your loved one with this affliction, this is the book. A chronicle, not by a clinician, but one whose triumph over depression gives us hope.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Changed my whole outlook completely on depression!

I used to judge somewhat internally those whole would commit suicide due to depression. This book changed my whole outlook on what depression really is or can become.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Difficult at first, but eye-opening & hopeful

Difficult to listen to at first, but eye-opening & hope giving. I learned a lot and understand better my own experience and that of my loved one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

words for an unspeakable affliction

This book received a great deal of press when it first was published. We are often drawn to the breaking of taboos, of which psychiatric disease is one. Mr. Styron's tone of voice, which I first found dry and boring, allows his subject and his prose to reveal itself without any embellishment. He avoids hyperbole; this seems to make his experience and analysis more profound. in breaking the taboo of mental illness, it is possible that he has saved more than one person, directly or indirectly, from self-harm.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Accurate and compassionate first-person account

...of what the experience is like, written beautifully. It's a must-read for anyone with a loved-one experiencing melancholia and a brilliant affirmation of the experience of anyone suffering from it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Living with depression

I commend the author for the courage he took in writing his memoir on depression but overall am glad he seek admission just in time that prevents him from committing suicide.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

What is Mental Illness?

The author tries hard to generalize about his depression so that the public can understand the power the disease has over adults in the prime of their creative lives. Severe non-bi-polar depression and its effects on productivity, social interactions, and the will to live are presented to non-professional readers. Having had this problem in my 30’s-40’s, l think the author created a realistic but mild description of the symptoms and a cure that worked for him.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful