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Publisher:
PublishAmerica |
Release
Date: May 2004 |
ISBN:
1413718833 |
Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Paperback |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Nonfiction / Memoir |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Lynda E. Lukow |
Reviewer
Notes: |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
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The Miradors
Descensions
of A Man
By B. Elwin Sherman
Depression-a
mental illness that slowly, insidiously assaults the psyche. It
causes no visible wounds. No cuts to suture, no broken bones to
cast, no quick fix to send sufferers on their merry way. For those
who work in the service industry, this mental illness often hides
behind a pasted-on smile until suicidal ideations rip away the facade.
The Miradors: Descensions of a Man candidly describes one man's
near drowning in a sea of darkness and his battle to regain the
surface and stay afloat.
Author B. Elwin
Sherman, who has worked as a psychiatric nurse, tells his story
from both sides of the stethoscope. In his journal, he comments
on the medications and their side effects; the medical and psychological
tests which measure patients' progress; and the effects staff attitudes
have upon a patient's state of mind. He also reveals the residual
effects his depression has had on his wife and children.
Though
Mr. Sherman berates himself for hiding behind metaphors, those comparisons
clearly illustrate the complicated and often convoluted thought
processes that accompany the inwardly turned anger, the desperation
and the fear. The author's poetic leanings compel readers to consider
life in a different light.
As the
title suggests, The Miradors: Descensions of a Man provides
an extensive look into a depressed man's soul. This is a profound
and demanding journal, but it contains enough light moments to balance
the darkness. I highly recommend this work to anyone who has dealt
with or wishes to learn more about depression. Kudos to Mr. Sherman
for having the courage to put a human face on an inhumane illness.
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