Hurry Down Sunshine: A Father's Memoir of Love and Madness, By Michael Greenberg
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.What happens, wonders Michael Greenberg, when one's vitality grows so powerful that, instead of flourishing, one eats oneself alive? Greenberg believes that this happened to his 15-year-old daughter. In 1996, Sally Greenberg was diagnosed with manic depression and – after a spell of feverish insomniac nights writing sonnets – was hospitalised. Language, once a blessing, became her curse. She could no longer express herself coherently, her linguistic breakdown mirroring her psychological disintegration.
In this candid memoir, Greenberg blends painful experience with philosophies of madness, and also probes the possible causes of Sally's illness: was it their living under the threat of eviction that fuelled his daughter's instability? Or her parents' divorce? Or a schoolfriend being murdered by her own father, aged six? Even as Greenberg rigorously examines his situation, and considers it from the myriad perspectives of his family, the sense of never really being able to know is poignant.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments