I Hear the Black Raven

A Petite Memoir

By: Claire Ishi Ayetoro

Narrated by: Claire Ishi Ayetoro

Length: 2 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Thought-provoking,” “poignant,” “moving,” “thoroughly enjoyable,” “couldn’t put it down!” are all words used to describe this genre-bending memoir. Praise for I Hear the Black Raven comes from the U.S. and abroad.

A girl interrupted in the prime of her life by a diagnosis of mental illness must come to terms with her disease while struggling with her religious values and sexual identity. “You described in detail what was happening in your brain [during mania] which is so profound. It is a must read for everyone who wants to understand the anatomy of bipolar disorder and how the brain works." – Leah Iny, Author of Freedom to Be

“Claire describes her manic episodes more vividly than anyone I’ve ever read describing mania!” – Deborah A. Lott, Author of Don't Go Crazy Without Me

“A wonderful collection of thoughts and words. It’s over everything else, beautifully put together. It’s inspiring and emotional.” – On A Reading Bender

At 31 years of age, Claire Ishi Ayetoro has lived enough lives to fill an ensemble cast. In this, her first memoir, no topic is off-limits as she paints portrait after portrait of her triumphs and her battles with bipolar disorder, religiosity, and that ever elusive cure-all: love.

A vividly compassionate depiction of psychosis, Ayetoro weaves words of wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration into every layer of her storytelling. Journey with her through the mountains and valleys of manic depression, guided by that singular spirit of flight: the black raven. You never know, it may even be calling to you.

About the Author: Claire Ishi Ayetoro is an award-winning author born in southern Mississippi. She is an alumni of Mississippi State University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. She was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder in 2014. Her book I Hear the Black Raven is an intimate account of her experiences leading up to and following that diagnosis. Ayetoro is founder and owner of Equal Age, a media/merchandise company with the goals of raising awareness about human equality in all its forms and creating community among creatives and leaders for social change.

©2021, 2022 Amber Henry (P)2022 Amber Henry

Honest, Intriguing, Artful

Honest, intriguing, artful – the three words that immediately came to mind after finishing the book.

I admired the author's use of an ensemble cast to represent the different facets of her lifetime thus far. She makes it interesting to think about how there are so many different storylines unfolding within one person's lived experience. The different cast members/perspectives are both their own protagonists, antagonists, and supporting members all in one. Cleverly and clearly written with nice complements of abstract thought, figurative language, and musical accompaniment to tie all the storylines together. Great listen!