An Unquiet Mind

A Memoir of Moods and Madness

By: Kay Redfield Jamison

Narrated by: Kay Redfield Jamison

Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A deeply powerful memoir about bipolar illness that has both transformed and saved lives—with a new preface by the author.

Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness; she has also experienced it firsthand. For even while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, Jamison found herself succumbing to the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients, as her disorder launched her into ruinous spending sprees, episodes of violence, and an attempted suicide.

Here Jamison examines bipolar illness from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication.

©1995 Kay Redfield Jamison (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

“An invaluable memoir of manic depression, at once medically knowledgeable, deeply human and beautifully written ... at times poetic, at times straightforward, always unashamedly honest.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Stands alone in the literature of manic-depression for its bravery, brilliance and beauty.”—Oliver Sacks

“Jamison’s [strength] is in the gutsy way she has made her disease her life’s work and in her brilliant ability to convey its joys and its anguish.... Extraordinary.” —Washington Post Book World

Heartbreaking with hope.

Kay's story is heartbreaking. She gives hope and understanding to those with mental illness and their loved ones.

Only wish the memoir was a bit longer

Author did a nice job of narration. I personally connected to the story....a cautionary tale of what can happen when you will not accept a diagnosis and/or refuse to take your meds properly. That being said, Jamison's frank and inspiring story not only leaves you wanting more, but gives hope for the future. A must read if you or a loved one has been diagnosed bipolar.

Must Read!!

Very helpful to understand mental illness. Thanks for the honesty & sincerity in addressing mental illness!

great read

just starting to learn about bipolar in myself this was a good start. . it nice to hear it from someone who is also living or trying to live with this illness.

Beautiful story with, easy listen.

Kay’s writing is vivid and easily imaginable. She tells her story very well and includes her knowledge of manic depressive disorder. If you are challenged by this disorder I would highly recommend this book. Her story is relatable to say the least and gives hope for treating manic depressive disorder in a livable/tangible manner.

I loved it as someone with BP2

I loved listening to this book. The author is very smart and documents her life and experiences with BP very well. It shines light on the condition and is also an interesting story. I deal with a milder form of bipolar (BP2) and am grateful for this listen.

Highly Recommend

It was easy to personally connect with the authors story for me so it's an interesting perspective.

A must listen!

If you or someone you know is diagnosed with manic depressive or if you’re just interested in a good story and learning more of manic depressive along the way, this is a great listen! I was diagnosed about a year ago and this book helped me understand my illness and learn to embrace it a little more.

Beautiful yet frustrating.

As a long time suffered from manic-depressive illness I found the book to be very fact based and almost poetic at times. There is a wonderful display through words of that which those of us who have the illness suffers. I highly recommend this read to those who have or those who know/love someone with the illness.
The only frustrating part for me personally was the skipping of sections. I already find it difficult to sit and concentrate on one task. So reading the book along with listening helps me during my bouts of weak concentration. I found it very agitating to have to keep pausing and then looking for my place again to get back in track. Often having to restart a minute or two of the reading to retain what I had just read.
All in all I WILL make it a point to read this book annually to remind myself that I am not alone and that I now have a better handle on how to describe what is happening to me to myself and to others so that I may receive the help I need.

Dry Read, But Tolerably Good

Dr. Jamison has a bit of a robotic voice when it comes to reading her book, but I think it's got valuable information about her personal experience with Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Illness). I think the book could've been read with more vigor, but it's still decent. This audiobook is relatively short, which I liked. I was able to get through it over a couple of days with breaks from the dryness by listening to some music. I don't really mind that it's abridged because it highlights the important parts of the book without the fluff. Overall, I liked it despite its flaws.