Personal Histories
Cronkite, Kathy. On the Edge of Darkness: Conversations About Conquering Depression. New York, Doubleday, 1994.
Interviews with famous people and health care providers about their depression. An excellent book. While nobody's depression is exactly like anyone else's, the ability to compare similarities and differences in symptoms, experiences, and the success or failure of alternative treatment methods is illuminating. The topics cover a wide range of issues that encompass nearly the whole scope of depression. The focus on famous people adds a degree of interest to the reading, but in the end it is what they have to say about themselves facing the same problems as other depressives that is most meaningful. Inclusion of frank discussions with health care providers is a major plus.
Duke, Patty, and Gloria Hochman. A Brilliant Madness: Living With Manic-Depressive Illness. New York: Bantam Books, 1992.
A highly-readable account of her life with manic-depression, interspersed with chapters about the illness, its diagnosis, life history, and treatment. One of the best and most accessible sources on this illness.
Duke, Patty, and Kenneth Turan. Call Me Anna: The Autobiography of Patty Duke. New York: Bantam Books, 1987.
Her early life and its control by the Rosses—her managers—affected her psychological development and helped bring on manic-depression. The primary emphasis of the book is on her show business life, especially in childhood, and treatment of her recovery is slender and not covered in detail.
Dravecky, Jan. A Joy I'd Never Known. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.
The wife of major league pitcher Dave Dravecky—who lost his pitching arm to cancer—describes her recovery from depression. She chronicles the change in her life, from being tyrannized by doing for others and not caring for herself to achieving peace and balance. She also describes her own religious changes, from a religion that stood in the way of effective treatment to one that allowed her to be at peace with her depression.
Flach, Frederick. Rickie. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1990.
A well-written description by a psychiatrist about his ten-year struggle to get his daughter Rickie back to health and normalcy, interspersed with her own observations and poetry. Its value for the depressed person is chiefly inspirational. It drives home the message that persistence in trying many things can pay off in big dividends. It is also a strong warning against the blithe acceptance of standard psychiatric analysis and diagnosis, and is a strong example of why patients need to be full partners in—and ultimately in charge of—their own treatment programs.
Styron, William. Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness. New York: Random House, 1990.
An account by the novelist of his own depression and what it was like for him. It is a well-written description of the darkness he felt, but is less helpful regarding its causes and treatment. Most useful as an explanation of the pain of depression to those who have not felt it.
Thompson, Tracy. The Beast: A Reckoning with Depression. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1995.
Personal history of a Washington Post reporter and her struggle with classical depression. The strength of this book is her detailed description of her recovery process. The book is well-written and provides both inspiration and guidance for depressives who are seeking hope and help. She includes some helpful tips based on her own experience. This is highly recommended for recovering depressives.