Dit vond ik een moeilijk boek om te lezen. Er zitten hele mooie stukken in, rake beschrijvingen, interessante bespiegelingen die dingen soms in een nieuw licht zetten. Er zaten ook wat cliché's in, af en toe had ik het idee dat hetzelfde herhaald werd in andere woorden, had ik gewild dat er iets dieper ingegaan werd op de filosofische kant (de sociale kant, de politieke dimensie), maar de persoonlijke kant is misschien onvermijdelijk zo overduidelijk aanwezig omdat een depressie uiteindelijk onvermijdelijk persoonlijk is.
Misschien door het onderwerp, of misschien door het persoonlijke karakter van het boek zelf, vind ik het ook lastig iets algemeens of objectiefs te zeggen over de inhoud - ik besef heel erg dat wat me raakte, of wat ik moeilijk vond, vaak gekleurd is door eigen ervaringen. Ik heb toegezegd een boekverslag over dit boek te schrijven, maar daar heb ik nu wel spijt van.

‘Straks is alles weer voorbij en ga je op in wat er was. Dus leun maar op de aarde, op de dagen die je dragen. Morgen kan het anders zijn.’

Something to carry on a heavy afternoon. Beautiful.

First published in 2019 (pre-COVID), Meijer's short book on depression is finally being published here in the US. My thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an e-ARC.
Philosopher, animal philosopher (human and non-human), musician, novelist, scholar, artist and performance artist Meijer makes use of it all in this short, but not quick, book. Based on her own depression (about 7 years, from age 14 to her early 20's, including anorexia - and occasional bouts since) the first 2 chapters are impressive redefinitions of how we define and describe depression.
That she can explain philosophical movements, from Aristotle to the Existentialists, in a few words makes me want to take a class from her! And she does not so much judge which philosophy is "right", as explain the POV of each, and what they have to offer us as we view, understand, and live in the greater world. But she does give emphasis to later Wittgenstein, and his writings on language (like depression and the world, there is a seperation between words and what they represent in the real world). The title refers to these writings. She also brings in artists, from pop musician Kristin Hersh to Woolf to Stryon. Heavily annotated with informative Notes.
For me her weakest chapter was the 3rd, where she describes her own treatment, including years on an anti-depression prescription. But as she moves on she stresses over and over that each case is your own, and while discipline and self-awareness of changes in her life and attitude ring alarms to an oncoming bout, that one must find their own way to deal with their depression. Which may include clinics, drugs, or even suicide.
A brilliant academician (she has about 15 titles published, this is only about her 4th or 5th to be published in the US), she still can easily flow from Sartre to "sending cards always helps" on how friends and family can support you when you are depressed.
Reading the first page of this got me to drop the book I was reading and dive into this instead. I have always had an interest in "melancholia" (which she talks about as part of the history of depression). And while I have mourned (the difference between that and depression is also discussed here) and had a few "blue periods", I have never had months or years of ongoing depression. Still, I found this helpful and interesting, and rather brilliant. The mix between philosophy, culture, medicine, art, and her own life makes this a vibrant book.
And in the last couple of pages she cheerfully reminds us how small and unimportant we are in the greater scheme of all things - get over it!
I am not sure I will read either of her books on non-human animal communication (some of which is used as an approach in this title as well - and again relies on later Wittgenstein and his study of language ), but I do have her novel "Bird Cottage" on order.

Psikoloji konusunda ilgim olduğu için dikkatimi çekmişti kitap. Aslında amacı bir şey öğretmek değil deneyim aktarmak olsa da depresyon hakkında birçok yeni bakış açısı kazandırdı bana. Bazı kısımlar kitaptan kopmuş olmam dışında güzel bir okumaydı