In classic books such as Girl, Interrupted and
When Rabbit Howls, the mentally ill depict their
own harrowing worlds. In Mad House we have an account of
the devastating effects of mental illness on the lives of
those who share their world--the healthy siblings of those
afflicted. Clea Simon was shattered when her older
brother, Daniel, a freshman at Harvard, began hearing
voices, making it impossible for him to function. He later
committed suicide. Schizophrenia next claimed her sister,
Katherine, who has moved from one institution to another
after refusing any help from her family. Simon, who spoke
with hundreds of other siblings of the mentally ill and
with experts in the field, confronts the issues healthy
siblings face, from guilt (Why do I deserve to be okay?)
to fear (Will illness claim me or my children next?) to
anger at being neglected by parents overwhelmed by the
needs of the mad child. Part memoir, part practical guide,
Mad House is a compelling and compassionate book destined
to help many people come to terms, as Simon has, with the
unique pain of living with a sibling's mental illness.
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