The Best Minds: Book Review

The Best Minds

By Jonathan Rosen

I decided to read The Best Minds because it was on the Atlantic Monthly best books of the year. And because I read one of his novels. 

It is a difficult book to get through. You can't read it quickly but only in small baby steps (50 pages/day). I didn't understand the organization of the book till I watched the author discuss his book. I also couldn't get his point of writing the book. I was ready to give up. It seemed the book was all over the place. This is the second book this year after watching the author talk about his book. I understood it. I will say, if you don't understand mental illness, the culture, and society, and the psychiatric profession. If you want to understand it a little better. Read The Best Minds.  

The book is based on true events the author, and his best friend some twenty-five years ago(tragedy). I'm giving you spoilers and letting you know in advance. Beside the book giving you background understanding of culture and society. In the beginning of the book there are plenty of Jewish references. I wasn't expecting that. Not that I mind, it made the book more pleasant to read. 

Jonathan Rosen and his family move from Massachusetts to New Rochelle NY. H befriends a boy next door, Michael Landor. They were friends but also competitive in many ways. Michael was very intelligent beyond his years. Where Jonathan was dyslexic and felt not as smart. Jonathan's family were all literary geniuses, and subdued compared to Michael's family were a wild bunch. Michael's grandmother was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Jonathan questions and wonders through the book why he didn't come down with the fatal disorder, but he's friend does. What made him so special? Anyone could have gotten it, the boy next door. You don't know what goes on.  Both of their teachers realize their strengths. Even though Jonathan is dyslexic it doesn't stop him competitively, and their intelligence. 

One day an incident happens. A gang approaches them. They don't bother Michael as much as they do Jonathan. The incident haunts him throughout the book. He never forgave Michael. 

They eventually after high school Michael became more reclusive and his behavior had changed to odd behavior. The friends became distant and didn't stay close after high school. Even though they went to the same university. Michael graduated the university in three years and was hired in a high-powered stressful job which didn't last long. Jonathan ended up transferring to Berkeley in California. 

They lost touch with each other. They were never close again. While Jonathan's mother stayed in the know with Michael. Michael ended up in a community of psychiatric professionals. Helping Michael and supporting him. His behavior, and outside appearance changed, but intellectual he was above and beyond. 

He had his first psychotic break and was placed involuntary in the psychiatric hospital for some months. Michael's father was he's rock, and best supporter. Michael did not want to work as a cashier at Macy's. He thought he was better than that intellectual. Which is true. Many patients put in this situation believe they are better than that. Eventually Michael's father has connections. He influences Yale Law School to take him. 

The Professors are impressed with his intelligence. When Michael can't do the work. They give him slack, and some of his friends, and classmates help him out. He isn't able to find a job once he graduates. He gets into a relationship as well, which becomes a live in situation(GF).  Then the NYT finds out about Michael and its in the paper.

 He becomes famous. Ron Howard the producer wants the movie rights to make a movie. In the meantime, Michael writes the book which supports him financially.

There is so much about this book. I didn't discuss and I don't want to ruin it.  I think the author was attempting to do too much in the book. He first wanted to write a memoir about him and he's friend. Then doing research turned into more. I didn't realize the organization of the book. Childhood, second part society/culture/ psychiatric profession, government, the science and behavior of mental illness. The third part is how he handles the illness. The fourth part the dream. 

The first part is easy to read it's basically a memoir. Growing up immersed in his family and Jewish culture all around him. The second part is society and government, and psychiatric culture. How World War 2 (holocaust) was taken and reminisced by the psychiatric establishment. Conditions and institutions were seen like the Jewish people during the holocaust. How they were seen or unseen.

 President Kennedy made the problem worse when he released the patients into society. There was no plan. The government was in a cloud thinking communities would just embrace them in open arms. Really! People just didn't want to pay for their care. Now, its easier not to look at people who are disheveled and look the other way. Homelessness, medical care, just throw them away. 

The second part is technical and textbook like which most people aren't interested in. Most people don't like to be lectured to in a book and scholarly. Which makes a book not readable. I will say the book is aimed not at the general public. Which is where the books audience should be. That is why during this section I was wondering who the author was trying to capture. What was he trying to say? I'm still not sure. 

The third and fourth part of the book was less boring and told us what Michael was going through. Though my feeling was it wasn't personal and told from a distance what was going on with him. Since he lost touch with his friend which detracted from the story. I still not sure what the author's aim was. Was he asking how Michael became ill why? How wasn't Jonathan touched? It could be anyone. It can be a genetic disposition. It can also be environment and many other factors. 

Then came his illness. No one intervened. Because he has a high intelligence the mental illness was not a threat. Professors and family, and support systems didn't see his illness as a threat. They saw his high intellect first and ignored the illness, not the person. I was a psychiatric nurse. I'm used to seeing the signs and symptoms in the DSM 4. I know how to handle it. Most people in society will walk away and have no idea what to do.

The only way a person is cared for in a hospital in an emergency situation. Is if he is a threat to himself or others. If he doesn't want any help, he can refuse it. The hospital or police officers can just release him. I have always felt that is crazy.

 Also, a person doesn't see anything wrong. Thats he's perception of himself and the world around him. Some activists who get involved in patient rights have no idea. Why are they involved? They are not doctors, nurses. They are only looking through the eyes of a "normal Person". I can understand why this went haywire. 

The only time a person with a psychiatric disorder is put in care indefinitely is if the person commits a crime. Long time crimes with psychiatric disorders are cared for institutionalized in prison. Something is wrong with the system. But it takes funding to do something. These people who are homeless after being institutionalized or hospitalized are constantly in a revolving door. How would they get treatment if they refuse their meds? Or don't have the money to pay for them? 

Institutions are run poorly. In some states they are trying to help the homeless who have severe mental illness. Nothing is easy, there always snags. Many times things are not run as efficiently as they should. We must try to find a solution. There will always be people trying to take advantage. But our society must not keep looking away. We must have compassion.  We must help people who can't help themselves when they refuse treatment. And can't make rational decisions. Not turn a blinds eye, 

This young man was lucky he had a support system, and many people for years didn't see him as a problem. Not getting the help for an extremely sick person is not going to get better and control his illness. He will just get worse. Some people even without meds are not a threat. But some do and need involuntary hospitalization not in JAIL. Everyone has right to housing, food, medicine and safety.