This work of nonfiction is extraordinary in so many ways: the family’s circumstances *and* their willingness to be candid about them; the author’s intensive research and ability to present it in a clear, concise way; and schizophrenia itself, the condition that has so far defied almost all attempts to understand it. At the height of the Cold War, Don and Mimi Galvin raised a family of twelve children—10 sons and two daughters—six of whom would experience psychotic breaks in their 20s. Robert Kolker explores the heartbreaking effects of the disease on family relationships and lives, even as he outlines the treatment possibilities available over the years. His book does not shy shy away from the question of the parents’ poor decision-making in creating such a family (and not being able really to cafe for them). Aside from the well children’s resilience in dealing with the terrifying consequences of the mental illness in the home, the book really takes off when tracing how the family contributes to research into solving schizophrenia. Is the disease the result of nature or nurture, or some complex combination of the two? From their pain, the Galvins have contributed to whatever we do know about schizophrenia. A page-turner.