More or Less Maddy

A Novel

De: Lisa Genova

Narrado por: Tessa Albertson

A breathless, riveting novel about a young woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder who rejects the stability and approval found in a traditionally “normal” life for a career in stand-up comedy.

Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between schoolwork, exams, navigating life in the city, and a recent breakup, it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her picture-perfect Connecticut family. But Maddy’s latest low is devastatingly low, and she goes on an antidepressant. She begins to feel good, dazzling in fact, and she soon spirals high into a wild and terrifying mania that culminates in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

As she struggles to find her way in this new reality, navigating the complex effects bipolar has on her identity, her relationships, and her life dreams, Maddy will have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.

With her signature “deep empathy and insight” (Booklist), Harvard-trained neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova has crafted another profoundly moving novel that makes complicated mental health issues accessible and human. More or Less Maddy is destined to become another classic like Still Alice.

©2025 Lisa Genova (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

So True about Bipolar Disorder

I was drawn to this book because of the connection to the mental health issue of bipolar disorder. Our adult son resides with us, on again, off again, as he lives with bipolar disorder, addiction recovery, and personality disorder. The author does an disturbingly wonderful job of capturing this disease. Our son was diagnosed in high school and still tortured by it even at age 36. Kudos to a job well done Lisa!

Truthfulness

The characters were imperfect and real and fully developed -not just the main character and the disease was explained

Neurologically Necessary Novels

Keep writing! Your stories give wonderful insight into someone with these disorders/conditions. I love them all.

Love!

I feel like I was walking through this personally. Per usual, Lisa Genova, brings us into the world of a unique individual.

Loved It!

Loved this book. Like all of Lisa Genova’s books - it’s a must read or listen to.

Bipolar touches so many people, maybe even you, and you don't even know it! Perhaps in your house, your circle of friends, and it's most definitely in the communities we live in.

What I love so much about Lisa's writing is that she provides us with the opportunity to get inside and see what it feels like to have, care for, live with, or love someone who has Alzheimer's, Autism, Left Neglect, Huntington's, ALS, and now Bipolar.

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your gift with us!

Understanding Bi Polar

I have read all of Genova’s books and learned so much! This one especially captured my attention and liked how the author wove facts not her fictional story, it added to my knowledge of my father ‘s disorde so it was personal, Thanks for writing about it!

The important information shared about bipolar disorder, and how it presents in those diagnosed with it

I loved the way Lisa Genova portrait when it really feels like to have bipolar disorder. She clearly did her research and it was a beautiful read. Thank you for to an important and little understood mental health diagnosis.

WOW + THANK YOU, LISA!

Wow! Lisa you did an incredible job of making Maddie a believable and well rounded character teaching us so much about the challenges of a bi-polar diagnosis and its equally difficult successful management. The shame, stigma, and pain for all of the family members involved in a loved ones bipolar diagnosis is real and you painted that picture in vivid detail. Thank you for tackling this underrepresented topic with your trademark wisdom, candor, and unflinching research. You have given humanity a huge gift in creating Maddie Banks and sharing her with us. From the bottom on my heart, thank you!

Important read!

This book gave me great insight into the character of a person with bipolar. It was so real and so well told and I ended up missing Maddy after finishing the book. As much as she had me on edge for most of the story, she was so vulnerable and loveable. As a mom, I just felt so much angst and felt so protective over her. Excellent book made better by the fact that the author is a neurologist.

Empathy and humorous guide you through a very heavy topic that Genova makes palpable and not scary.

Lisa Genova, once again, brings to light in such a delicate & kind way, a stigmatized neurological human condition that left me not frightened but empathetic and curious.Through her humor and research, Lisa builds characters that we can all relate to on some level. She teaches us, through story, about the complexities, good and bad, that living with bipolar 2 brings to not just the protagonist (Maddy), but also to her inner circle of family and friends. Most importantly, Genova shows us how one can live with any condition without shame and judgement. Bravo!!