Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness and a Mother's Love

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I really loved this book-- stayed up most of the night to finish. I laughed and cried throughout this entire book. My adult son is bipolar I and so many of the author's experiences were spot on with what we have experienced. This book captured the relationship so beautifully between the mother and son. Although this book was a very real depiction of this horrendous illness, it managed to give me hope for my son. I commend the author on not giving up and having the resilience to pick himself back up after an episode to resume his life. No easy task with a mental illness. I like how the author realizes that his experience is vastly different than many of the folks who do not have the support he had with his family. He sees the crisis in the mental health system and prison system and how it fails to serve those without anyone advocating for them. I hope families read this book and realize how important their role is in their mentally ill loved one's life. This is one of my favorite books about mental health-- a must read for anyone experiencing an illness or knowing someone with an illness. Please write more books!

I loved this book and would absolutely recommend it. I own both the paperback and the audiobook and enjoyed each one. As someone who has a bipolar diagnosis myself, Gorilla and the Bird is one of my favorite memoirs on the topic. The book is funny in a self-deprecating and darkly comedic way, but it's also emotional and moving. Zack McDermott is a lawyer who writes about his experiences in various psychotic episodes and his mother's support and unconditional love throughout. The story takes place in many different locations, including New York City, his hometown in Kansas, and a few psychiatric hospitals. Since he's a public defender, Zack is able to provide insight into the flaws of the nation's legal system related to healthcare, which was incredibly interesting. I felt the overall message of the book was to remind us that people who struggle with their mental health are still human and worthy of love.

Mania: It's like this. . . Take the best day in your life -- the perfect wedding, the birth of a child, that great new job -- take that feeling, that intensity, and multiply it by, say, a hundred. Now stop sleeping. Begin to feel interconnected to everything and everyone. Now exist this way for about a month. Or two. Then someone tries to tell you something is wrong with all this metaphysical bliss, usually someone close to you, but by this time you have included them in the delusional explosion that is acute Mania. You see everyone, like Gorilla saw, as bit players in the magical realm you now inhabit. Eventually you come to the attention of the authorities in some way, and the tired machinery of psychiatry runs you down, wraps you up, and then you have to try to accept the fact that none of it was real.I have lived through a dozen of these experiences since 1976. Now, through "Gorilla and the Bird," I got to live through another one, without the restraints and felony charges. Mr. McDermott's story is simply the most intense, accurate, and emotionally honest trek through Mania (and out the other side) I have ever read, and the biggest bonus -- not to mention saving grace -- is the awesome power of his mother's love.A less capable writer would have been unable to craft this narrative in a way that strings together all the elements without a hint of self-pity or resentment. His superior writing brims with humor and irony, and anyone, regardless of how close or far away you are from Mania, will be able to experience it through his eyes and heart.I finished "Gorilla and the Bird" in less than two days, but I know I will return to it often.Bravo.

Incredible read for many reasons:1. While I have read many books that describe mania / bipolar - the author describes his journey to understanding mania / vs. depression - vs. "stable" so clearly that during the first period of mania - I believed it was real - no mania or psychotic break. As the book (and Zach's understanding) of the condition progresses - Zack and the reader begin to be able to sense signs of manic episodes coming on. Long story short - his journey to understanding and learning to manage / live with this illness was so clearly spelled out.2. The relationship between Zack and his mother is so incredibly heart warming - and while much focuses on her helping him through this - there was just as much about him being there for her. If everyone in the world have just 1 person to support them such as this - what a place this would be.3. The amount of courage it took for both Zack and his mom to "bare all" in this book is noteworthy - and will help / encourage any reader.As a nation (world) we need to start to look at mental illness / disorders as the completely manageable conditions that they are. Health care needs to be enhanced to offer the best service and options to people who - with this help - will be able to lead normal lives even if faced with conditions such as bi-polar disorder.Please read this book!

I have worked with many bipolars and this writer really describes his illness in a wholesome,accurate way …well done ,excellent

Poorly written in my estimation; a lot of mumbo jumbo in between the story.

Such an important book that will help many. The more we talk about mental health and bring awareness the better.

I live in Spain and I am the mother of a bipolar twenty-four year old son. I was very touched by this story nor only because it relates to my life but because it is an very good read. It's funny, insightful, true. I am looking forward to the HBO series. I am telling everybody how good it is but unfortunately I don't believe it has been translated into Spanish, therefore I cannot recommend it to my family support group.

Excellent book! I have just started working within the mental health field and had a lot to learn about bi polar. I am so pleased that this book has provided me with the perspective of the patient. Such an open and honest account. Beautiful book, I am so glad that I found it. Thank you to the author