The Edge of Every Day

Sketches of Schizophrenia

By: Marin Sardy

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

The debut of an important new literary voice: Marin Sardy's extraordinarily affecting, fiercely intelligent memoir unflinchingly traces the path of the schizophrenia that runs in her family.

Against the starkly beautiful backdrop of Anchorage, Alaska, where the author grew up, Marin Sardy weaves a fearless account of the shapeless thief - the schizophrenia - that kept her mother immersed in a world of private delusion and later manifested in her brother, ultimately claiming his life.

Composed of exquisite, self-contained chapters that take us through three generations of this adventurous, artistic, and often haunted family, The Edge of Every Day draws in topics from neuroscience and evolution to mythology and art rock to shape its brilliant inquiry into how the mind works. In the process, Sardy casts new light on the treatment of the mentally ill in our society. Through it all runs her blazing compassion and relentless curiosity, as her meditations takes us to the very edge of love and loss - and invite us to look at what comes after.

©2019 Marin Sardy (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A shape-shifting debut memoir about a family's coming to terms with schizophrenia.... Essayist and critic Sardy delivers an extraordinarily ambitious and accomplished narrative about significant challenges. She chronicles the immense difficulties in trying to maintain a semblance of sanity while both her mother and brother suffer through schizophrenia that they refuse to acknowledge, with the rest of the family in various states of denial as well.... Illuminat[es] mental illness from the inside out.... Both powerful and disturbing.... [An] impressive debut.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred)

“Accomplished.... Sardy skillfully reflects the ‘narrative crisis’ that occurs in people with mental illness. The book itself offers a glimpse of the reality of living with schizophrenia and the multiplicities and contradictions that accompany the disease.” (Helen Thomson, The New York Times Book Review)

“Pushcart nominee Sardy displays her superb skills for criticism and cultural journalism in this remarkable, beautifully written memoir of her family’s lifetime struggle with schizophrenia.... Succeeds brilliantly in conveying the realities of mental illness in a memorable manner. Should be required reading for mental health professionals.” (Dale Farris, Library Journal, starred review)

Very well written, meaningful

Fascinating look inside the world of schizophrenia from the perspective of someone living along side of it.
Abit more gymnastics references than I could relate to (the author was a gymnast)
But overall very thoughtful, emotional, factual, informative and philosophical all at the same time.
Worth the read.

Fascinating compelling interesting and heart felt

One of the best memoirs I’ve ever read. The way the author weaves disparate events and emotions in with her story makes a fascination compelling read. I’ve learned so much about the real impacts of mental illness and the love shared in families who from the outside seem “dysfunctional”. You’ll learn about David Bowie’s struggles with his brother and about the incredible fascinating life of a woman who has traveled the world inside and out rigorously honest heartfelt. Amazing moving. So much love! My mom worked with homeless mentally ill people and until now I didn’t know there were other people with hearts as big as hers. As an intellectual this book engages your mind as well and it’s an easy fast read! Hard to put down.

A shorter version would have been better

This portrait of a family's heart-rending experience with schizophrenia is expertly detailed, but... For me it was much too long and included too much minutiae. Writing as the sister and daughter of two victims of schizophrenia, I sympathize with her and understand that including every tiny thought could seem essential. The author views the circumstances of her mother and brother from many angles and tries hard to empathize with their own suffering and struggles to overcome this terrible disease as she suffers with trying to find ways help them. In so doing she waxes long into her own musings about them often seeming to be lost in her own, albeit poetic, daydreams about their lives. I found the explanations of both relatives' illness fascinating. The worst part of the treatment of both her mother and brother was how our society does NOT fully recognize the depth and breadth of schizophrenia. About this, the author does an excellent job of illustrating how both politically and medically people afflicted with schizophrenia are not treated efficiently or appropriately while their relatives are left with few or no means with which to help them. My criticism of this book is that it deals with such an important issue in our culture, but that it could have been presented more effectively had the information been less rambling and more condensed.

beautifully written

The story is great and the form incredible. Very recommendable, soecially to families that have suffered mental illness.

Balanced Insight & Excellent Narrative

A creative work of deep insight into hereditary nature and lasting legacy of major mental illness.

Booooorrrriiinng

Don't waste your time. Iforced myself to listen halfway. This book is all about the boring crap in this girl's life, with very little about her mother or brother's schizophrenia. I'm calling Amazon to get my credit back. Worst book I think I've ever come across, and I read A LOT, so that should say something.

Good and bad

This story could've been better I believe if the author didn't consistently rabbit trail with different stories. I understand how she tied them all together, but I really wanted to hear more about her brother and family. Not so much about gymnasts, NASA, and the ocean.