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PRODUCT
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
Product Description:
Price:
$13.99
Detailed description:
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • ONE OF GQ’s TOP 50 BOOKS OF LITERARY JOURNALISM IN THE 21st CENTURY • The heartrending story of a midcentury American family with twelve children, six of them diagnosed with schizophrenia, that became science’s great hope in the quest to understand the disease.
“Reads like a medical detective journey and sheds light on a topic so many of us face: mental illness.” —Oprah Winfrey
Don and Mimi Galvin seemed to be living the American dream. After World War II, Don’s work with the Air Force brought them to Colorado, where their twelve children perfectly spanned the baby boom: the oldest born in 1945, the youngest in 1965. In those years, there was an established script for a family like the Galvins–aspiration, hard work, upward mobility, domestic harmony–and they worked hard to play their parts. But behind the scenes was a different story: psychological breakdown, sudden shocking violence, hidden abuse. By the mid-1970s, six of the ten Galvin boys, one after another, were diagnosed as schizophrenic. How could all this happen to one family?
What took place inside the house on Hidden Valley Road was so extraordinary that the Galvins became one of the first families to be studied by the National Institute of Mental Health. Their story offers a shadow history of the science of schizophrenia, from the era of institutionalization, lobotomy, and the schizophrenogenic mother to the search for genetic markers for the disease, always amid profound disagreements about the nature of the illness itself. And unbeknownst to the Galvins, samples of their DNA informed decades of genetic research that continues today, offering paths to treatment, prediction, and even eradication of the disease for future generations.
With clarity and compassion, bestselling and award-winning author Robert Kolker uncovers one family’s unforgettable legacy of suffering, love, and hope.
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Product group:
Categories: Best Books of 2024 So Far
Product name:
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
Price:
$13.99
Kindle Customer –
Knowing what research has revealed about past broad assumptions in science or psychology made this reading more interesting. For one family to have the majority of the members diagnosed with a mental health diagnosis is way outside probability. The institutions and psychiatrists were overwhelmed with kids, teens, & adults who were described as ‘insane’. Today, we know that the rarest disorders may be caused by retraumatization, a sudden triggering event, a serious sudden illness, a learned response to trigger, and/or a DNA irregularity. Unfortunately, there are no better medications, talk therapy, or rehabilitate avenues for these people, their family, and community.
If there were or are succeeding generations, I am curious how many have been diagnosed with any DSM Disorder.
Severe mental health issues impacts are devastating because the disease/disorder is not visible. The author returned dignity back to the family. This is an important and necessary topic since society can not make them disappear into institutions/prisons or drug induced zombies.
Jacqueline Guida –
It was disturbing and interesting. I feel such pain and sadness for all the children. Such good looking and smart boys to be swallowed up in this horrible and incurable? disease. And their sisters, who lost all the attention and loving from their parents. The non sick boys who almost raised themselves, because they weren’t affected, left a very bad taste in their mouths.
Mimi seemed to be handling all of it, right or wrong, herself. Don was in his own world, avoiding his home life as best he could. And there is NOTHING that the non sick kids could do, as they grew, to rid their minds of trauma. All handling it differently.. But it was their just the same. I will never forget this family and their tragic lives. So very tragic. It makes me very sad.
Daniela M –
Unglaublich bewegende Familiengeschichte, die in diesem Buch sachlich und trotzdem mit viel Herz und Respekt erzählt wird.
Das Buch würde ich jedem empfehlen, der sich mit dem Thema Schizophrenie beschäftigt oder daran interessiert ist.
Die Kapitel über die Entwicklung der Forschung haben mir geholfen die heutigen Diagnosekriterien besser zu verstehen.
She Treads Softly –
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker is a very highly recommended true family drama and medical detective story following the Galvin family.
Between 1945 and 1965 Don and Mimi Galvin had 12 children, 10 sons first and then 2 daughters. Later 6 of the boys were diagnosed with schizophrenia. This is the inside true story of their family, including the violent wrestling matches between the older brothers, the seemingly perfect father, the control Mimi exercised over them, the hidden sexual abuse, and the feelings of abandonment by younger siblings. Once their first born, Donald, began exhibiting mental issues and was later diagnosed as schizophrenic, they tried to keep the truth hidden as long as possible. By the 1970’s six of their sons who were diagnosed as schizophrenic and the families secret could no longer be hidden. Soon Mimi was spending all her time and energy trying to help the “sick” boys while basically leaving the “healthy” children to their own devices.
It is also the story of the history of schizophrenia and the medical advancements made during this time. Kolker follows the background information about the history of schizophrenia and the psychiatric, chemical, and biological advancements in treatment were interesting. The various treatments the brothers endured are shared and the struggles they had taking their medication as the professionals searched to find a treatment that worked for the brothers. Because so many siblings in one family were diagnosed with schizophrenia, the Galvins became one of the first families to be studied by the National Institute of Mental Health is the search for a genetic marker for the disease. Samples of their DNA are still being used in genetic research today. This research continues to influence treatment, prediction of the disease occurring and hopefully a way to prevent the disease in the future.
This is in turn a heart breaking and fascinating well-written and researched account. It is truly an honest portrait of a family in crisis. Kolker follows each family member, their place in the family, and their story with empathy and honesty. It is easy to judge Mimi’s actions, but at the same time impossible to do so unless you were in her situation. She really seemed to handle the mental breakdowns of her sons as most people from her generation would and her own background also influenced this. The recounting of the family’s history and suffering is handled with compassion. This is not always an easy read, but it is an eye opening and engrossing narrative.
Karen –
If you are fascinated by the workings of the mind, you’ll deeply appreciate this true story. The unbelievable family drama plus time expended in research, level of detail, compassion exhibited, and overall excellence of writing and editing had me engrossed from start to finish. In the end, a beautiful tale of our human condition, resilience in the most challenging of circumstances, and acceptance of each person’s unique response to life. A most worthy read!
cristina z. –
Siamo negli anni ’40, la vita di Mimi e Don Galvin era perfetta, o almeno così sembrava: dopo la fine della guerra Don ottiene un ottimo impiego nell’esercito e il nucleo familiare non fa che allagarsi. Dodici bambini in tutto, dieci maschi e due femmine, tutti dal bell’aspetto e intelligenti.
Ma le cose iniziano a cambiare quando il maggiore dei figli, Donald, inizia a comportarsi in modo strano seguito da altri cinque dei fratelli minori.
In questo romanzo autobiografico si ripercorrerà la tragica storia della famiglia Galvin, sopratutto dal punto di vista della figlia minore Mary. Non mancano sezioni esplicative sulla neuropsichiatria e sul suo sviluppo.
Un colpo allo stomaco.
Un resoconto brillante, pagine pregne di dolore e sofferenza e una ricerca scientifica ancora aperta.
La scrittura di Kolker è molto coinvolgente e riesce a trasmettere il senso di oppressione e disorientamento che i membri della famiglia Galvin hanno vissuto per anni.Il senso di pesantezza che aleggiava a Hidden Valley Road attraversa le pagine.
Il libro non si limita a raccontare la storia dei singoli componenti della famiglia ma offre anche una panoramica sulla schizofrenia in generale, sui suoi sintomi e sui suoi effetti sulle relazioni interpersonali.
A volte la lettura può risultare lenta ma a me è piaciuta molto.
Consiglio libri su : @modularbookshelf
Martín Lozano –
La narrativa de Kolker nos remite a terrenos inquietantes de la dinámica familiar y las enfermedades mentales que con frecuencia se soslayan, anteponiendo la necesidad de pertenencia social a la de procurar una solución a males que desde tiempos freudianos la psiquiatría no acierta a concertar.
Maishilla –
Historia verídica.
Paula B. –
Well written, fascinating story, especially if you have an interest in psychiatry.
Minnesota Mom –
As a mom with 4 boys, 3 of which have developmental struggles, I have been pushing the genetic envelope for years now. Getting their genetics tested any way I can and I have learned so soooo much! This book inspired me to continue and not stop. I have since for out that 3 of our children have 3 genetic conditions that cause autism and developmental diseases. I have learned so much since continuing down the genetic journey with our kids and I don’t think I would have pushed as hard if I hadn’t read this book back in 2020. Do yourself the favor and read it – it is very quick and extremely inspiring. All that said, much of the book is very sad and takes time to digest. There is a lot of heart break to process. But it also brings awareness to families like my own that live these secret lives behind our 4 walls.
susan –
I very much enjoyed this book. I really don’t know how the family survived living with the six brothers. But it really is a very interesting story. I would recommend it to anyone who, like me, finds this an interesting topic.