Part Two: Annotated Reading List

Hannah: My True Story of Drugs, Cutting, and Mental Illness

Westberg, H. (2010). Hannah: my true story of drugs, cutting, and mental illness. HCI
Teens.

This is a memoir of a teenage girl who was sent to the psych ward after a suicide attempt.
While in the hospital, she, like Susanna Kaysen, receives a diagnosis of Borderline
Personality Disorder and has to learn to cope and live with her disorder, but in different
ways and with different approaches than Kaysen. Hannahs account is a mirror reflection
of Kaysens experience in the modern day society of mental illness and treatment.
Reading the two is like reading the same book from different eras.

The Bell Jar

Plath, S. (1971). The bell jar. Harper and Row.

Written by the famous Sylvia Plath who committed suicide one month after publication
of The Bell Jar, this is a semi-autobiographical fiction novel about a woman who was
hospitalized after a few minor, and one major suicide attempt. Sylvia Plath was also
hospitalized at McLean, which many say is the hospital in The Bell Jar. The novel
discusses mental illness, recovery, and unlike the others, possible causes. Plath and
Kaysen take two different stances on one similar experience by focusing on different
elements of dealing with mental illness, and thus emphasizing the complexity of mental
health.

Thirteen Reasons Why

Asher, J. (2010). Thirteen reasons why. Ernst Klett Sprachen.

This fiction book is about a teenage girl who commits suicide and leaves tapes explaining
thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Each reason involves another person,
their actions, or interactions, such as bullying, friendship betrayals, and sexual assault; all
extremely detrimental to a persons mental well being. The novel speaks about
depression and self-destruction in the context of todays high schools. Thirteen Reasons
Why emphasizes the large effect that small actions can have on another persons mental
state.

Ten Days in a Mad-House

Bly, N. (1887). Ten Days in a Mad-house: Or, Nellie Bly's Experience on Blackwell's
Island: Feigning Insanity in Order to Reveal Asylum Horrors. NL Munro.

Originally an expose, this book was written by a female journalist who faked insanity
in order to get committed to the state insane asylum in 1887. She witnessed and then
wrote about the horrible conditions of the asylum: the food was spoiled, the building was
unsanitary, and the patients were abused and mistreated. Her writing erupted when it was
published in the papers, and ultimately led to better treatment of the mentally ill. This
book gives readers an insight as to what mental heath treatment was like nearly 130
years ago.

Gracefully Insane
Beam, A. (2009). Gracefully insane: The rise and fall of America's premier mental
hospital. PublicAffairs.

This book is a biography of McLean hospital from its foundation in the early 1800s to
present day. The book is written by a journalist, and includes true stories of both patients
and doctors throughout McLeans existence. Vicariously through the story of McLean,
readers get an insight into the history and evolution of psychology and treatment, as well
as societys various attitudes toward mental illness. This book takes a much less personal
perspective and focuses on the hospital and its evolution, as opposed to one individual
who will provide a detailed yet snapshot account of McLean.