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This violently colorful, devastatingly forthright recounting of the author’s search for self amidst the shards of mania, takes place almost exclusively over the course of the summer of the author’s forty-first year – set against the glittering background of the Corridor of Dreams, the swanky swathe of the West side of LA stretching from the Hollywood Hills to the boulevards of Beverly hill – with its tale of luxury goods, spiritual discovery, thrust for glory, brilliant ideas, not so brilliant ideas, fist-fights, arrest by the LAPD, and, ultimately, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It asks if the gleaming personality chained up by mood stabilizers is the real self, and, if it is not, is there any such thing as a real self?
About the Author
Keith Adams, born in 1964, perennially wonders how an abnormally tall, working-class boy from the North Sea coast of England ended up in a house in Hollywood with two dogs, and his partner, a leading medical research scientist at UCLA. Although he writes for a living (computer code), he always hoped to do “real writing”, from experience. That opportunity came from being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2006, after a serious brush with insanity. At one point, he seriously believed he would be a combination gay superstar / epochal intellectual / latter day Messiah. Quite obviously, he became none of those things, but he did survive the inevitable crash to tell the tale, thanks to the support of friends and family | | | |
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| | Product Details | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 6 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 6 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
A Compelling Story Told with Humor Dec 02, 2010
By Michael Foster
First a disclaimer: I am a friend of the author and prefer science fiction, fantasy and humor reading. I would neither have read nor even been aware of such a book had it not been for Keith's promotional activities. Yet I can report that, not only did I enjoy the book immensely, I found it hard to put it down while on vacation.
I remember when bipolar disorder was commonly referred to as manic-depressive. In Broken Whole, Keith has documented in great detail and with humor what it feels like to be depressed and manic, both from his perspective while his moods were depressed or elevated, and also from the later perspective of one who is being treated and has reached a level of stability.
Keith's account, while extremely personal, gives us insight into our own moods and challenges of learning and growth. Only a small portion of society has bipolar disorder, but we can all be depressed, excited or even "crazy" at times. Seeing the extremes of these states paints a sobering picture of human potential. And it also raises the uncomfortable question: What is keeping us from achieving our potential?
What I enjoyed even more though was Keith's frequent, offhand, often hilarious observations into human nature. Whether he is grousing about how people compulsively comment on his tallness or complaining about the deficient tensile strength of toilet paper at his office or noting that he and his partner spent the most renovation money on a meditation room that he doesn't use because he saw a spider in there, Keith makes his story fun to read.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 The phenomenology of bipolar illness Aug 06, 2010
By Dr. Paula Walker
Broken Whole by Keith Adams describes the phenomenology of bipolar illness. Keith Adams has the gift of language to describe psychological states. Depression is the "grey mark that both preceded the violent hues and, in part, precipitated them (p. 24)." He notes that "unrelieved depression has a corrosive effect on your cognition (p.41);" it is "an insidious worm which can eat away, sight unseen, at the base of a relationship (p.42)." Further, depression "effortlessly knocks down your defenses, and you become vulnerable and prickly (p. 46)."
Most of Broken Whole is focused on a long episode of mania. Keith Adams was an observer/scribe to his manic experience. In mania, he says, "I was to pursue many dreams...I walked out of my house believing I'd uncovered something that could both cause major changes in the world economy and make me and all of my friends and family rich beyond comparison. I sincerely believed I was the most intelligent person who'd ever lived (p. 47). In a state where money is meaningless, sleep is unnecessary, and anything is possible, Keith wandered in and out of jail, through a psychiatric facility, and, amazingly, continued to believe in his monogamous relationship with his partner.
I have been treating bipolar disorder for 25 years and have listened to the stories of depression and mania. Keith Adams has captured the essence of both states. This is important reading for patients, families and friends of those suffering from this illness. In addition, Broken Whole is essential reading for clinicians and academicians to reach a greater understanding of the subjective experience of this disorder.
0 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Back from Hell May 21, 2010
By Ina Hillebrandt
"Ina Hillebrandt"
Broken Whole: A California Tale Of Craziness, Creativity And Chaos
"Broken Whole" is a naked view into the mind of a man who has gone to hell and made it back. And in the telling, author Keith Adams pulled this reader in, his honesty refreshing and endearing.
For example, in a situation with which I could certainly identify, but would have hated to admit, he writes:
"In retrospect, I now know that the manic brain makes strange cognitive errors. For instance, I could be filling in a web-form, and get all bent out of shape because there was no submit button. I might even call someone up on the phone and yell at them. Then either I'd sheepishly notice myself, belatedly, or have somebody else point out to me, the big green button in the corner of the screen saying `Continue.'"
In short, Broken Whole is a book for those of us who have felt discombobulated at the very least, and broken at times ourselves.
Ina Hillebrandt, Author, "Pawprints," "How to Write Your Memoirs...Fun Prompts to Make Writing...and Reading...Your Life Stories a Pleasure!," "Pawprints...The Student Prints" curriculum guide to Pawprints Literacy Plus(tm), and other books, and Writing Coach, Editor/ Publisher, Pawpress
0 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A Moving Account of Bipolar Disorder May 19, 2010
By Idelle Davidson
Broken Whole is a case study of one man's fall into bipolar disorder. Keith Adams takes us on his wild ride and through one particular manic episode, we witness his mood swings, his destructive buying sprees, four nights of no sleep because of the chaos raging through his brain, and the crisis that brought it all to a head. What might have been a book filled with self-pity is instead an honest, witty account of the toll this disease takes on those with bipolar disorder and on those who love them. I recommend this book.
Idelle Davidson
Coauthor, Your Brain After Chemo: A Practical Guide to Lifting the Fog and Getting Back Your Focus
[...]
1 of 4 found the following review helpful:
The voice of mania, chilling and touching Apr 10, 2010
By Tom M. Mackendrick
This is not just another book about mental disease and the wildness that surrounds it. This is one man's search for himself and those that help him find him along the way. Adams' gets you hooked from the start. Amazing tales of what happens when mania is out of control, and the compasion that you find and don't find in LA. I found this book impossible to put down, even at the most uncomfortable points. And the love between the author and his partner gave me hope that love can conquer all regardless of the destruction one can cause.
What I found most fascinating was that you actually hear the voice of mania in this book, in Adam's prose. The descriptions of mania found here are in the first person as they happened, as the author includes passages from his blog written during the most manic of times. This voice, spoken about often in books, can be FELT in this book. You begin to see, if not completely understand, the jumble of millions of thoughts colliding with each other, each idea trying to take hold and competing with the next. And each idea stranger and more incredible, yet I could almost (almost) see some reason to them.
I enjoyed this book immensely. I too, have suffered bouts of bi-polar (mild in my case, and under control with medication) so this book rang true. I struggle with who I am daily -- me or a jumble of pills. Adams' takes this head on.
See all 6 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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