As eighteen-year-old Amanda spirals into mania, her father, psychiatrist Dr. Jerry Benson, sees the realization of his worst fears: his daughter is not just moody, but truly ill. With his words, his diagnosis--manic depressive illness--his world and that of his family is forever altered. Carol, Amanda's mother, struggles with the guilt and shame of having raised a "crazy" daughter. Christy, Amanda's fifteen-year-old sister, denies the illness; after all, my sister's a bitch is so much easier to accept. Meanwhile, the Bensons' extended family offers up everything from unconditional support to uncomfortable scrutiny as Amanda careens between bouts of frightening violence, cosmic euphoria, and suicidal despair. Then there's Ryan, an architecture student who is initially ensnared by Amanda's manic sexuality, but is ultimately captured and held throughout the chaos by the force of love and strength of family. Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?: A Family's Journey Through Bipolar Disorder follows a family through the tragedy of bipolar disorder, but it's not tragic. It's funny, sad, and thought provoking--and as real and as raw as mental illness itself. --- from the publisher Reviews and Endorsements:
"Engaging. Strongly recommended!" E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., author of Surviving Schizophrenia and Surviving Manic Depression "A coming of age story. It speaks to many truths." Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW Executive Director, NAMI National "Highly recommended! It will challenge, educate, and inspire you." Dr. Joseph J. Luciani, bestselling author of Self-Coaching: The Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety & Depression "Heartwarming and heartwrenching. Very highly recommended!" Alan Gettis, Ph.D., author of the award-winning book The Happiness Solution: Finding Joy & Meaning in an Upside Down World "A rare read. You'll learn something important about mental illness and also about yourself." Donald R. Dempsey, author of Betty's Child About the Author: Karen Winters Schwartz was born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio. She wrote her first truly good story at age seven. Her second-grade teacher, Mrs. Schneider, publicly and falsely accused her of plagiarism. She did not write again for forty years. In-between, she moved to Columbus, Ohio, where she spent thirteen years of her life pursuing a seemingly endless education at The Ohio State University. She received her undergraduate degree in microbiology, her Master of Science in immunology, and a Doctorate in Optometry. Winters Schwartz met her future husband, Paul, at a student optometric conference in Chicago. They were both slightly drunk and it was love at first sight. They married in 1987, moved to Central New York, and bought a house on the shores of Otisco Lake - the ""pinky finger"" of the Finger Lakes. There they began their lives together, their careers as optometrists, and raised two daughters, who are now off to change the world - hopefully in a good way. |