My Sister's Keeper: Learning to Cope with a Sibling's Mental Illness

By Margaret Moorman

Book Overview

When Margaret Moorman's older sister, Sally, was first hospitalized with schizophrenia in 1959, her family denied the truth to neighbors, friends-and even themselves. Not until thirty years later, when their mother's death made her Sally's sole caretaker, did Margaret face the truth. In this poignant memoir, she tells the brave story of her struggle to come to grips with the legacy of her sister's devastating disease, its effect on her own life and on her entire family. Candid, moving, and ultimately healing, My Sister's Keeper is a heartwarming story about two sisters and their love for one another. As gripping as a well-crafted thriller, but much more moving.--Washington Post Moorman tells her family's story with courage, honesty, and generosity.--Kirkus Reviews A brave, poignant memoir of a difficult coming-of-age... a lifeline to siblings of the mentally ill.--Publishers Weekly

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393324044
• ISBN13: 9780393324044
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 322 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.6" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

My Sister's Keeper

"This beautifully crafted novel will grab readers with a stunning topic." This book shows different perspectives of this situation. -PV, Ashburn,VA

Anyone who has a difficult family member will understand...

This true-story book tells of a woman's experiences in dealing with a sister with bipolar disorder. Throughout her life, her sister's illness has impacted her own life in a variety of ways, and after the mother dies and she is the only one responsible for her sister, the situation intensifies. While on medication, the bipolar sister can function reasonably well, but she goes off meds from time to time and then the sister eventually has a mess to sort out. The ambivalence of the relationship (the two sisters both love and resent each other) is perfectly captured in this book. It rings true. Although there was sufficient money left by the mother and social services available to assist, so that this was not the "worst case" scenario that some families experience, still, the family-wide devastation of mental illness was well captured in this book.I couldn't put it down.