Words With My Father
A Bipolar Journey Through Turbulent Times
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
THE DRAMATIC STORY OF A PIONEERING MAN, HIS MERCURIAL MIND AND A SOCIETY IN LIMBO.
“If you found An Unquiet Mind or Darkness Visible transformative, Words With My Father will further enrich your perspective and resilience.”
Mission:
A deceased father and alive son discuss the development of the father's bipolar condition during the turmoil of the 1960s and explore the insights into better mental health that readers (like you) can absorb from his intense odyssey.
Synopsis:
Words With My Father offers a gripping portrait of the evolution of a young man's mental illness and how it manifested into a dramatic and often dangerous existence through the turbulence of the Civil Rights, Peace and Conservation movements.
Context:
Lowell Klessig’s posthumously-released story, infused with reflections by his son Lukas, provides an intimate window into one man’s life in flux with bipolar disorder. As the author narrates a postwar upbringing and describes the manic-depressive travails of developing his identity, he offers us a view into the turmoil of the times – and of his mind.
Through mania- and danger-filled months fighting for Civil Rights, protesting the Vietnam War and furthering the Conservation Movement, we see the purpose that sustained him. Through darkened panes, we witness the isolation and malaise of depressive winters that nearly took his life. This masterful chronicle allows us to peer into a restless and kinetic existence in one moment and a chasm of fatigue and hopelessness on the next page. It’s a bipolar journey that you won’t ever forget.
Customer Reviews
Heartfelt Legacy
Words with My Father: A Bipolar Journey Through Turbulent Times is a memoir of an incredibly intelligent, profoundly emotional and deliberately intentional man who helps us understand the challenges of coping with Bipolar. Mr. Klessig (father), recounts personal details about navigating through childhood, adolescence, a divorce and an everlasting love.
I appreciate how Mr. Klessig, son and coauthor, share how his father impacts his view of the world. The father found solace in nature, animals and writing which now seem to ground his son. Especially endearing was how much love and admiration the son has about his father's legacy.
This was a deep, heartfelt story about the generational realities of mental illness. It is well written, well told, and a phenomenal last gift from a son to his father.
Encouragement for Bipolar
This is an inspiring read. Each of us has experience with someone whose mental health creates challenges or expectations for others. I found room for personal reflection in these pages.
The author succeeds in creating an amazing life within the limits of his bipolar condition. He used writing as a valve for his restlessness and his deeply personal story is a beautiful encouragement to others facing mental health challenges. The addition of the second voice, his son, brings honest observations on the impact within a family.
I believe readers will find this to be a compelling life story. Highly recommend!