These are wonderfully written, but quite disturbing, autobiographies, relating Frame's life and journey through mental illness and the importance of writing to her recovery. She was erroneously diagnosed as being schizophrenic, and spent a number of years insitutionalised. She was about to have a lobotomy when she received the news that she had won a major literary prize! I have to say that they are not hugely happy reads, but they are extremely inspiring.
Mental illness is something that I am hugely interested in, as a number of people close to me have been very ill and hospitalised with depression and other psychiatric disorders. This gives me the opportunity to give a quick plug for the swim that I am doing in order to raise money for Mind, the mental health charity, which seeks to support those with mental illness and raise awareness throughout the UK. I've already raised quite a bit of money, but would love to raise more - please see my justgiving page for more details!
Here are the covers of the books.
Faces in the Water has an interesting cover; have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't read the memoirs but I was impressed by the emotional power of their television adaptation (directed by Jane Campion, before The Piano).
ReplyDeleteHi Owen - we have the DVD at work but I've not watched it yet.
ReplyDeleteIt's the first one I received! Sounds really interesting, if far from upbeat.
ReplyDeleteI think they've reissued it. Same cover? I'll highlight this post again then! Never got round to seeing the film.
ReplyDeleteApparently re-issue as came with press release. Did the one you read have an introduction written by the film director, Jane Campion? Did she direct the film? Definitely highlight the post again.
ReplyDeleteI looked on Amazon and think I did read this edition with the same cover and everything... Intriguing. Jane Campion did direct the film.
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