This book is a very thinly fictionalized account of dealing with a child who, in her late teens, is stricken with bi-polar disorder. The late Bebe Moore Campbell's own daughter, Maia Campbell, suffers with the illness. She was arrested earlier this year in the Atlanta area for disorderly behavior consistent with manic depression and with drug use. I chose to read the book this month as a memorial of sorts to one of my dearest friends who died 5 years ago at age 50 of systemic illnesses which grew out of his bi-polar disorder. For what its worth the book gave me some space to remember my beloved friend, and that was a good thing.

There were other good things about 72 Hour Hold. The book discusses frankly the extra stigma placed on mental illness in the African American community. I have discussed this with friends in the past, and I am glad to see anything that takes this issue out of the closet. It also addresses the narrow space African American people have to act "crazy" without ending up dead or in prison. Last month, less than 10 minutes from my house, Atlanta police shot to death a mentally ill Black man who was running around naked (so clearly unarmed) unmistakably in the midst of a psychotic episode. I think it is true that it would not have happened had it been an adult child of one of my White neighbors. The White person would have been subdued and evaluated, not shot. Again, an important issue that Campbell handled well.

Unfortunately, the story here shot out in all sorts of directions. Campbell spent pages and chapters on things that were not central and not interesting. (This includes everything about the main character's store, her regrets about her marriage, her employees, her boyfriend and his kids.) I am not saying that aspects of the main character's life that were not related to her daughter's illness should have been excised, but they should have been treated as background, and they were not. I was also annoyed with the constant references to slavery. Overseers and plantations have nothing to do with this. I get the metaphor, I get that she was "enslaved" by the cruel disease, but the metaphor did not work. When my loved ones are stricken with disease, its not like I make concentration camp comparisons. It is demeaning to actual slaves to equate these things. It pissed me off a little. There were other less irritating but still ineffective metaphors; the beautiful suit with a little spot that won't come out shows up a lot (hi Lady Macbeth!) Again, a bad metaphor, but less annoying. I should also note that I thought all of the characters other than Kari lacked dimension.

One final note: I read this book in print and got the audiobook as well to listen in the car. The audiobook is terrible. The reader, who has a beautiful voice perfectly suited to late night soul radio stations or phone sex lines, seems to have no idea what she is reading. She places emphasis on words and syllables that should not have been emphasized. She uses an almost jolly tone when talking about Trina's outbursts and dangerous behaviors, like she is telling someone about a friend who got a little too drunk at a party. More terrible is the weird sing-song thing she occasionally slips into and her habit of over-enunciating, pronouncing each syllable as if it is a new word. Worst of all though are the voices she gave to characters. Bethany sounds like a cross between Marge Simpson's sisters, Selma and Patty and Bette Davis in her post stroke years. Brad, a pasty khaki wearing white guy, sounds like a barrel chested, respectful but slightly dim Black man. The doctors voices are the funniest. The best are the British therapist who sounds like a 1980's computer voice and the (Asian) Indian doctor who sounds like a crazed West Indian Voodoo Priest. It was funny, but it became unlistenable. I ended up taking the audio back to the library about half way through and just reading the book.

If you are going to check out this book do NOT get the audio. And if you just want a book about families dealing with the onset of mental illness, you many want to check out some of the other excellent books on the topic. This is not a complete waste of time, but its not nearly as good as it should be.

eh...not compelled to read more of her work, but it was okay.

Almost like A Million Little Pieces - told from the African-American mother's point of view - if that makes any sense?

I was a little disappointed how little focus there was on the alternative treatment (considering the amount of retail it was given in the synopsis).

It was a good read, but I couldn't help put picture Trina as Maia Campbell throughout the whole book.

i am reading this for our book club

I enjoyed it, finding it very believable. I was a little distracted by the whole African-American theme, though I appriciated the comparison with the Underground Railroad. I guess I just had a hard time relating to the characters since I'm not African-American and the book focuses very much on that. Which is not to say that I was unsympathetic -- I definitely wasn't. It was just a little difficult for me to relate. Enjoyable, nonetheless. Would like to read more on this topic.

That having an adult that is battling mental illness is very difficult. Trying to talk the person into facts will get you no where