Customer Reviews

Touched With Fire

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

More and more what we seem to find is that the world is not so much populated by a sea of 'normal' people among whom there stand out a few with 'disorders,' but in fact that there are millions of subtle and not-so-subtle varriations on how each persons mind works. These varriations cumulatively produce each unique individual, but since when did being diferent constitute an illness. The more closely that we look at these "illness", the more we will begin to see that they are just different ways of seeing the world.

The symptoms of some of these differences, though, can be very dark, serrious, and destructive. It is not something to be romantacized. Some people have been critical of this book, either for not producing difinitive conclusions, or for not providing suficient hope for those struggling with Manic Depression (Bi-Polar Affective Disorder). These points, however, could well constitute the book's greatest strengths, not its weaknesses.

Firstly, one should look honestly at the criticism that it does not provide hope for those struggling with Manic Depression. Hope is certainly an important thing to have, however, it is important that that hope be real. A false hope will only hurt people more when it ultimately colapses in the face of reality. If you are looking for encouragement that Lithium is a drug without side-effects, that can ease symptoms without having any other less desirable repercussions, then you are not being honest with yourself, and you are only setting yourself up with false expectations, and once those fail, you will only be further entrenched in what Jamison calls "the war on treatment."

I have known a number of people with Manic Depression, and even some who were on Lithium. If you understand honestly both the good and the bad, with out the rose-tinted glasses of hollow and superficial optimisim, then you will be better equipped emotionaly to deal with the serrious buisness of getting in control of your life - it's not always fun, and anyone who tells you it is (a la sacrine and contrite books like Chicken Soup for the Soul) is actualy doing you more harm than good.

Fortunately, Jamison avoids this by writting a straight forward book, and by not feeling pressured to produce truths that no one can know for sure. Some of my friends felt that this book was inconclusive,or that it only served to state the obvious. However, that is perhaps what makes this one of the best books on both the subject of the arts, and on the psychology of Manic Depression. The truth is that, although it would be nice to say that Manic Depression can or cannot be cured by love or faith, or that all cases of Manic Depression clearly need to be medicated, or that all brilliant artists suffer from a simple (or not so simple) mood disorder, these answers are really too easy. They are blanket statements that miss the subtle differences that make our world so interesting, and our minds each so unique.

Rather than being tempted to provide these comforting if presumptive assertions based on optimisim, or even pessimism, Jamison simply asserts what is out there. The real important conlclusions shoud be left to be made on a case by case basis, based on communications with individuals. You cannot treat mannic depression through a book, no matter how good it is. Conclusions should be made based on a doctor-patient relationship, not based on un-trained interpretations of annecdotes and conceptual theories.

As an important warnning, some may find the first few chapters, which largely discuss the symptoms of mannic depression in a coldly honest way, depressing. Some may find the few chapters after that, which chronicle the lives of some famous artists and writers with Manic Depression exhillarating. But, both these parts of the book should be carefully ballanced to understand that, in the last few chapters, the desperation and elation mix, and produce a very real, occaisonaly conflicted, but ultimately positive view of both Manic Depression and it's treatment. So be sure not to just read the first few chapters, and then give up because it's too depressing, because the books really important and even uplifting substance is at the end.

Finaly, everyone seems more concerned with this book from a clinical point of view, in that it seems to be lumped together with a lot of other self-help/survivor biographies, but it is not. I would perfer to see this as a truly daring work of history and comparative literature. Jamison is one of the most elegant scientific writers, one of the most literate psychologists, and as far as I am concerned, a pre-eminent woman of letters. She has presented a very compelling documentation of the process by which many of the great works of western literature were produced, and a very humane insight into the lives of great writers who all to often are portrayed one-deminsionaly as James Dean style loners and outsiders, the stereotypical artist. Honestly, this book teaches you far more about literature than it does about Manic Depression (even though it teaches you a lot about affective mood disorders). Even for those not at all interested in psychology or Bi-Polar Affective Disorder, this is a great book for all that it shows about the history of western Art and Literature.

I review it as a five star work of literary criticism with fresh ideas and exhaustively complete research.

Ok...let's get some things straight right off the bat. This book by Jamison is NOT a book meant for the easy reading of those who are trying to find out more about bipolar disease (whether or not they are merely curious or actually have been diagnosed with it themselves!). This book is an excellent qualitative case studies argument for professionals and peers (in education, in psychology, in neuroscience, in the art world, etc.) who would like to further delve into the long-circulated theory that those blessed with creative abilities are often cursed with manic-depressive (bipolar disorder). Those lay people who merely want confirmation of their illness (or that of a family member) are going to be in for an incredible disappointment if they 'get' this book. It was never intended to be a self-help diary, no matter what Jamison's previous books on bipolar have been like.

Next...Jamison makes an excellent case for the link between bipolar disorder and creativity. The methodology she uses tends to be dependent upon case studies of particular artists and the information available from their own writings as well as their family backgrounds and family lineage. It is a well-known fact that many of the psychiatric disorders have both a genetic and an environmental component. Jamison obviously is learned enough and has enough background in neuroscience and psychiatry, to be able to tie the information often gleaned separately in these fields, together in a more comprehensive whole. No, Jamison does not prove beyond a shadow of a doubt the concept that many writers/artists are plagued by bipolararity...but she sure makes a heck of a case for the previously surmised existence of a link! Her science information is impeccable, given what is known now at this particular time concerning manic-depression and the brain. In spite of having to use historical accounts and letters of family members, the artists themselves, and those in direct contact with these people...Jamison's analysis of their work and art, in conjunction with that historical writing, and using what is known now about this particular disorder in the brain is an phenomenal act of intelligent and scholarly writing. And it is well-written and not typical-boring textbook (or 'let's-slap-ourselves-on-the-back-in-congratulatory' professorial type) either! That's high praise on my part, since I cannot abide professors who pander their own writing (whether textbooks or journals) or write to their colleagues in as hard-to-understand professional jargon as possible, and then demand their poor students attempt to make sense of it (as well as line the professors pockets!) Cynical, aren't I?

I had seen and heard of Jamison's work before, but this was the first opportunity I had had to pick up one of her books. Since having not only two artistic grandfathers (one of whom fit the mold of those in this book) as well as having a good per cent of my own family history done (and being linked to some very famous depressives and manic depressives on both sides like Mary Todd Lincoln)...my interest has always been piqued by this theory. My first three years in college gave me a great background in British and American literature, and I remember reading William Blake and thinking 'this guy straddles the world between being one of the major prophetic poets, and being stark-raving loonie'!
Jamison really confirmed what I had previously thought by giving more background into the lives of these men and women. Plus she ties in the what is known about their placement into insane asylums and into their deaths at their own hands (as well as dependence upon alcohol or other drugs to relieve their depression...they rarely wanted to ease their mania which in itself is another confirmation of their own recognizance of their problems).

Jamison watches the speculation, that I find abhorent in historical research. She makes no claims that this is the final word on these people...she cannot. She knows and admits this. But her immense work in this area provides significant input into the lives and works of these men. It makes all of us, whether in the medical world, the educational world, or the artistic world appreciate the art and writings of these men even more because of the knowledge of what they went through.

Karen L. Sadler,
Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh

All of Kay's books are great, and "Touched With Fire" is no exception- it's well written, well researched, easy to follow, and very interesting. Kay summarizes many of the relevant studies on the subject of bipolar disorder and creativity, and some of these studies are her own. I agree that bipolar disorder probably has a higher rate of prevalance in the artistic community, though I don't think this is the whole story- many artists simply don't exhibit the disorder, so what about them? What I really believe is that artists have a super high level of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which may be the chemical that is cycling up and down in bipolar disorder. Either way, this is a very interesting book that will appeal to a broad audience. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".

Jamison's research is as relevant in 2008 as it was when it was first published in 1996. Although she tries to let her research tell the story of creative genius and its relationship to bipolar II disorder, she cannot disguise her appreciation of discipline amidst chaos and the creation of beauty from despair. Most interesting is her final discussion, on the genetic significance of the disorder and its continued value to the development of the human species.

While this book was really not that interesting to me, despite the fact that my brother is bipolar, certain chapters rang so true and brought me to tears. It is a factual book, but Redfield (the author) seems as though she is affected by the disorder. So reading her accounts was intrguing on that level.

The best part was the incredible lists she offers of all the famous artists who have been manic-depressive: Sylvia Plath, Leigh Hunt, Dante Rossetti, several former political leaders and even Presidents of the USA! Amazing!

THIS BOOK BY KAY REDFIELD-JAMISON MADE ME REALIZE THAT MY ARTISTIC AND POETIC TALENTS ARE PROBABLY PRODUCTS OF MY MANIC-DEPRESSION, THAT I AM NOT TOTALLY MAD!!!! SHE ALSO PROVIDES A VERY LENGTHY LIST OF ALL THE TRULY GREAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED WITH AND DIED BECAUSE OF BIPOLAR DISORDER. THE NUMBER OF POETS, ARTISTS, WRITERS, COMPOSERS, ETC. IS ASTOUNDING. HERE I AM THINKING THAT I AM A POET/ARTIST WITH AN EMOTIONAL PROBLEM, WHEN ACTUALLY I AM AN EXCELLENT POET/ARTIST BECAUSE OF MY (DISABILITY) MANIC-DEPRESSION. THIS SITUATION GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORDS "ARTISTIC TEMPERAMENT."

THE LIST OF BIPOLAR/MANIC-DEPRESSIVE PEOPLE (WITH SUPERIOR ARTISTIC ABILITIES) ALONE IS WORTH THE COST OF THE BOOK.

As a sufferer of bipolar disorder myself, it is very comforting to have as accomplished a woman as Kay Jamison to look up to - and it is even more so to know her life from An Unquiet Mind and the lives of other famous depressed and bipolar patients from Byron to Hemmingway. This is an impressive compilation of many different types of research that comes together to form a very centered, strong essay-style presentation of the underlying connection between manic-depression and artistic creativity. To have this as a resource gives me hope on a very regular basis that this is a disease with positives, and that anyone else can understand the disease and art itself better through this incredible synthesis of art and science.

Jamison's book on the fascinating, yet controversial correlation between bipolar disorder and creativity is well written and thorougly researched. She is a bipolar, and psychiatrist as well, and she has basically devoted her life to the study of the disorder. Not only is the argument she presents thoroughly convincing, but in the end she leaves the question semi-open-ended, as any good writer/scientist should do. Certain chapters are tinged with her odd, delightful sense of humor, which is always nice: she is able to treat such a somber subject like bipolar with a refreshing clarity. Highly recommended.

Dr. Jamison tells about how the artist is more likely to suffer from manic illness than other careers. This books gives insight to the highs and lows of the great writers and artists of the English and American world. An excellent read for those interested in the psychology of artist and their temperaments.

Having been recently diagnosed with Bipolar I want to learn everything I can about the disease. My psychiatrist recommended this book. It is not an easy read, and I kept a dictionary in arms reach. The book, however, has inspired the artist inside of me and I have begun writing, and writing well to my own amazement. The book has touched my soul and spurred me on to profound thinking.