Scattershot: My Bipolar Family
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Book Overview
The Glass Castle meets An Unquiet Mind in a mesmerizing, loving memoir about growing up in a family plagued by bipolar disorder. Scattershot is David Lovelace's poignant, humorous, and vivid account of bipolar disorder's effects on his family, and his gripping exploits as he spent his life running from--and finally learning to embrace--the madness imprinted on his genes. Four out of five people in David Lovelace's immediate family have experienced bipolar disorder, including David himself. In 1986, his father, his brother, and David himself were all committed in quick succession. Only his sister has escaped the disease. A coming-of-age story punctuated by truly harrowing experiences, this devastating and empathetic portrait of the Lovelace family strips away the shame associated with bipolar disorder--a disease that affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans--and celebrates the profound creative gifts that come with it.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0452295610
ISBN13:9780452295612
Release Date:November 2009
Publisher:Penguin Adult Hc/Tr
Length:304 Pages
Weight:0.60 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.7" x 7.7"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Customer Reviews
6 ratings
Slow....
Published by Shawnnam903 , 5 years ago
It just havent kept me interested. Moves to slow for me. A good story line though.
Heartbreaking and funny
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
While Scattershot focuses on the heartbreaking story of a family struggling with Bipolar disorder, this is not some pity piece - Lovelace tells the story with sensitivity but no sugar coat, showing everyone's weaknesses and heroism. I feel like I started to understand the reality of being "crazy" at times and knowing it, along with the strange allure of the manic state. Told with humor and a poet's touch, Scattershot is readable - as well as sad, happy, and revealing.
A Balanced Approach
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
Unlike most other memoirs about mental illness, Scattershot isn't a complete downer. You finish with hope and laugh quite a bit along the way. I didn't end the book and feel exhausted or sad. I could relate to many of the experiences, since only a few were horrific ordeals. This is a fast, fun and sometimes harrowing read! If you read the opening chapter, you'll be hooked. As enjoyable as this is, it still chronicles the dissolution of of an entire family to a misunderstood mental illness.
How do we all survive?
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
I heard the author speak on NPR, picked up the book, and read it straight through. Lovelace is a stunning writer with a stunning story to tell. Yes, it's a memoir about a bipolar family, but finally it's about finding balance, a way to live, whether it's through medication or insight or understanding or forgiveness and gratitude.
adventures in bipolar
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
Few books I have read recently have made me want to stay home from work so I can continue reading. Scattershot was this kind of book. I read it cover to cover in 2 days and loved it - wishing there was more. Lovelace successfully takes one through the struggles that bipolar disorder wrecks on ones life. But rather than being a dark, depressing read, Lovelace is able to convey such difficulties with quick, sharp humor and intense humility and humanity. Scattershot, a memoir that reads somewhat like David Sedaris, is filled with hilarious observations on human behavior. Of course, the author breaks with Sedaris in his ability to honestly convey the difficult daily struggle that living with such a disease takes on friendship, family, and life goals. A wonderful read that I cannot recommend more.
An amazing story
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
David Lovelace does an extraordinary job detailing the experience of growing up in bipolar family. With a poet's sensitivity, a diarist's power of recollection and with a fair amount of humor and love, Lovelace has created a memoir of soaring beauty. It's rare to find a memoir written with such compassion for those around him. Usually there's a lot of victimization and finger-pointing, but Lovelace tackles his family's story with such honesty and appreciation for his family that you can't help but cheer for them along the way.
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