This book was both more informative than I expected, and not as informative as I hoped, but all-in-all a very good read. Firstly, it was not as informative as I hoped, primarily because it is out-dated. It's nearly 20 years old and mostly refers to the DSM-III-R; we are now using the DSM-IV-TR. In that respect, many of the things I read were not new or surprising because the information has been well-established, and some of the research studies mentioned in the book have long since concluded.

That being said, this book offers a lot of terrific basic knowledge on manic depression (bipolar disorders), as well as more advanced information - of which might be slightly out of reach of the typical layperson, but well within grasp of anyone who is familiar with psychology, the illness, or has Google Dictionary at hand.

Although I'm very familiar with the illness, I did find a lot of interesting and surprising information - like how closely linked it is to schizophrenia, and how the illness can be genetically heritable, and how delusions and psychosis can actually be pervasive in many cases. It also provided clarity on some areas such as why anti-psychotics are prescribed for a mood disorder, and why anti-psychotics are often accompanied with anti-depressants.

I also appreciated how the book addressed myths surrounding the illness, such as the correlation of manic depression and violent behavior, the correlation of manic depression and creativity, and the correlation of manic depression and prenatal illness. Another thing I greatly appreciated was how the book directly addresses that a painful majority of studies on manic depression do not include significant numbers, thus leaving the data and our higher understanding to be inconclusive.

The parts of the book I found most valuable were the anecdotes from patients and family members of those suffering manic depression because it provided a level of humanity to the text, as well as additional support for the diagnosis and treatment. I was also surprised to find valuable tidbits in the chapters I didn't think I would find very interesting, such as the chapter on manic depression in children and adolescents, and manic depression in family members. These chapters set off an epiphany or two that I don't think I would have reached without a degree of separation and the unbiased perspective the text offers.

A very good, comprehensive book about manic depression. Recommended for basic understanding and knowledge, but with the understanding that the text leans slightly more on the professional vocabulary so a dictionary at hand would be useful; and it is outdated, so there should be more up-to-date books out there. ( )

Excellent, a good read for those with an interest in the science and psychology behind bipolar. ( )