Mending the Mind

OLIVER KAMM is a leader writer and columnist for The Times. His book ACCIDENCE WILL HAPPEN: THE NON-PEDANTIC GUIDE TO ENGLISH was published by W&N in 2015.

Oliver Kamm's urbanity, erudition and compassion are raised to the power of two in Mending the Mind. He put them to work in crafting this gorgeous and urgent book, and on every page they remind us of his moral that enviable gifts are no protection against the affliction of depression
With startling openness and honesty, but without angling for sympathy, Kamm describes his symptoms . . . Kamm's overall message is that despite the utter grimness of those symptoms, sufferers should remain optimistic . . . Mending the Mind reminds us that, despite our hazy understanding of depression, and despite the true horror of the illness, some hope for recovery remains
A tour de force that is not just personal, but looks at depression through science, art, literature and history. The combination makes it an important, affecting and effective book
The combination of Kamm's up close and personal and investigative approaches together make this both useful and insightful. It's also extremely intelligent, compassionate and well-written
There are lots of books on depression, but not many combine both an authentic and moving personal story with rigorous research and analysis. Kamm tackles the big questions on depression, and his answers are clear, unsentimental and compelling
Uplifting . . . easy-to-read. The book covers all aspects of the illness, such as what causes it, medical treatment, psychological treatment, living with it and, finally, the end of it
Mending the Mind elegantly combines a powerful personal story of experiencing and recovering from severe depressive illness with a wide-ranging overview of what depression means to artists and scientists, poets and practitioners. Oliver Kamm has succeeded in putting his lived experience here and now at the heart of an inclusive, broad-minded account of how depression has been understood and misunderstood, diagnosed and treated, over hundreds of years
This is a deeply personal and important book. It is painful but ultimately exhilarating to read. As Oliver Kamm notes, depression may be common but it is still not widely understood. At a time when isolation risks a heavy psychological toll, it deserves to be read more than ever
Oliver Kamm has the rare ability to combine emotional honesty with intellectual rigour. The result is a book that simultaneously breaks your heart and educates you as it brings light to one of the darkest corners of the human condition
Mending the Mind is a brave and searingly honest personal account of depression that offers comfort and hope to those who have been afflicted by mental illness and valuable insight to those who have not. Kamm's book is all the more vital because of the public health crisis we find ourselves in, and the toll it may take on our nation's mental health