Synopses & Reviews
Out of Her Mind, edited by Rebecca Shannonhouse, captures the best literature by and about women struggling with madness. A remarkable chronicle of gifted and unconventional women who have spun their inner turmoil into literary gold, the collection features classic short stories, breathtaking literary excerpts, key historical writings, and previously unpublished letters by Zelda Fitzgerald.
Shannonhouses recent anthology, Under the Influence: The Literature of Addiction, is also available as a Modern Library Paperback Original.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references.
Synopsis
Out of Her Mind, edited by Rebecca Shannonhouse, captures the best literature by and about women struggling with madness. A remarkable chronicle of gifted and unconventional women who have spun their inner turmoil into literary gold, the collection features classic short stories, breathtaking literary excerpts, key historical writings, and previously unpublished letters by Zelda Fitzgerald.
Shannonhouse's recent anthology, Under the Influence: The Literature of Addiction, is also available as a Modern Library Paperback Original.
About the Author
Rebecca Shannonhouse is a freelance writer and editor. Her writing has appeared in
The New York Times, the
San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, and other publications. She lives in New York City.
From the Hardcover edition.
Reading Group Guide
1. Describe the psychological state and behaviors presented in
The Beast by Tracy Thompson, and/or
The Snake Pit by Mary Jane Ward. How might a doctor describe these "symptoms" differently?
2. How does "mental illness" as portrayed in The Book of Margery Kempe compare with the portrayal found in "Thorazine Shuffle" by Allie Light?
3. Do you believe that mental illness affects the sufferer's entire family? If so, how? How does the family's reaction to mental illness in "Isolation" by Martha Ellen Hughes compare with that found in "A Better Place to Live" by Maud Casey?
4. Do you believe that societal pressures affect women's mental health? Is some "mental illness" actually a manifestation of such pressures? Which selections support your position?
5. What constitutes recovery from mental illness? Is recovery portrayed in "Black Swans" by Lauren Slater? If so, how?
6. Have these writings changed your understanding of mental illness? If so, how?