Women and Mental Illness (fiction and nonfiction)

Any books --- fiction, memoir, biography, history or other nonfiction --- that deal with mental illness, the mental-health profession or academic psychology from a feminist/woman-centered perspective.
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4.06 avg rating — 84,612 ratings
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3.78 avg rating — 346,230 ratings
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11

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4.17 avg rating — 3,396,483 ratings
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12

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3.90 avg rating — 35,073 ratings
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13

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3.89 avg rating — 998,953 ratings
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14

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4.07 avg rating — 343,094 ratings
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15

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3.99 avg rating — 90,555 ratings
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16

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3.91 avg rating — 358,741 ratings
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17

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4.03 avg rating — 1,026,949 ratings
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18

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4.14 avg rating — 3,380,986 ratings
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19

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3.92 avg rating — 277,880 ratings
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20

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4.32 avg rating — 1,335,205 ratings
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21

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3.92 avg rating — 473 ratings
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22

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3.74 avg rating — 289,654 ratings
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23

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3.96 avg rating — 1,724,477 ratings
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24

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3.96 avg rating — 125,142 ratings
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25

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4.31 avg rating — 127 ratings
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26

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3.84 avg rating — 1,016,909 ratings
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27

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3.59 avg rating — 104,301 ratings
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28

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3.77 avg rating — 401,368 ratings
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29

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3.96 avg rating — 147,433 ratings
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30

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4.01 avg rating — 1,190,961 ratings
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31

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4.32 avg rating — 357,285 ratings
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32

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4.17 avg rating — 414 ratings
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33

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4.03 avg rating — 33,903 ratings
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34

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4.28 avg rating — 25,732 ratings
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35

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3.38 avg rating — 173,687 ratings
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36

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4.48 avg rating — 69 ratings
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37

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3.76 avg rating — 59,963 ratings
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38

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3.81 avg rating — 370,373 ratings
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39

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3.98 avg rating — 330,427 ratings
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40

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4.03 avg rating — 14,705 ratings
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41

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3.69 avg rating — 223,751 ratings
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42

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4.32 avg rating — 22,464 ratings
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43

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4.09 avg rating — 234,480 ratings
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44

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3.74 avg rating — 238,645 ratings
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45

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4.17 avg rating — 214,560 ratings
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46

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4.01 avg rating — 163,503 ratings
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47

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3.48 avg rating — 756 ratings
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48

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3.74 avg rating — 141,659 ratings
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49

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3.89 avg rating — 172,166 ratings
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50

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3.45 avg rating — 28,239 ratings
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51

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3.77 avg rating — 101,533 ratings
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52

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4.02 avg rating — 702 ratings
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53

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3.91 avg rating — 18,439 ratings
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54

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3.93 avg rating — 288,981 ratings
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55

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3.92 avg rating — 20,052 ratings
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56

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3.96 avg rating — 236,561 ratings
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57

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4.07 avg rating — 260,713 ratings
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58

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4.03 avg rating — 368 ratings
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59

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3.82 avg rating — 91,838 ratings
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60

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3.90 avg rating — 199,254 ratings
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61

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4.24 avg rating — 768,790 ratings
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62

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3.77 avg rating — 147,550 ratings
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63

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3.90 avg rating — 4,733 ratings
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64

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4.26 avg rating — 214,600 ratings
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65

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4.25 avg rating — 82,040 ratings
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66

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3.96 avg rating — 7,405 ratings
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67

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3.82 avg rating — 12,085 ratings
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68

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4.14 avg rating — 456,544 ratings
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69

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3.91 avg rating — 3,890 ratings
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70

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3.90 avg rating — 32,776 ratings
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71

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4.26 avg rating — 974,998 ratings
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72

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3.63 avg rating — 3,945 ratings
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73

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4.11 avg rating — 8,683 ratings
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74

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4.22 avg rating — 123 ratings
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75

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4.04 avg rating — 154,293 ratings
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76

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3.90 avg rating — 363,597 ratings
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76

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3.71 avg rating — 366,849 ratings
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78

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4.10 avg rating — 913,047 ratings
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79

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4.29 avg rating — 66,507 ratings
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80

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4.23 avg rating — 823,023 ratings
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81

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3.97 avg rating — 50,520 ratings
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82

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3.68 avg rating — 5,502 ratings
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83

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4.02 avg rating — 2,638 ratings
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84

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4.67 avg rating — 46 ratings
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85

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3.74 avg rating — 5,620 ratings
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86

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3.95 avg rating — 85,068 ratings
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87

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3.94 avg rating — 51,486 ratings
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88

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3.52 avg rating — 4,496 ratings
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89

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3.87 avg rating — 594,609 ratings
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90

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3.74 avg rating — 20,122 ratings
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91

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4.10 avg rating — 9,749 ratings
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92

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3.89 avg rating — 2,705 ratings
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92

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4.11 avg rating — 1,119 ratings
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94

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4.21 avg rating — 4,070 ratings
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95

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3.34 avg rating — 1,997 ratings
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95

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3.86 avg rating — 64 ratings
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97

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3.89 avg rating — 26,459 ratings
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98

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3.39 avg rating — 3,887 ratings
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99

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3.83 avg rating — 1,095 ratings
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100

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4.17 avg rating — 913 ratings
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1165 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Lindsay 700 books
51 friends
S. Kay 3074 books
240 friends
Kendra 210 books
2 friends
jo 2849 books
365 friends
Mel 71 books
2 friends
Joy 316 books
53 friends
Eva-Marie 7214 books
200 friends
Nikki 1403 books
13 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-18 of 18 (18 new)

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ღ Carol jinx~☆~☔ʚϊɞ Why do you think I know so much about women and madness...hmmm huh?


message 2: by Ruth (new)

Ruth Mancini Any books that deal with a much misunderstood and stigmatised subject get my vote, but since I'm only allowed to choose one...


ღ Carol jinx~☆~☔ʚϊɞ I think you can make a list, at least that's what I did.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Ruth wrote: "Any books that deal with a much misunderstood and stigmatised subject get my vote, but since I'm only allowed to choose one..."

Why would you only be able to choose one?

If there are books not on it you'd like to vote for, that's pretty easy. You add books at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes." It'll give you a choice of performing a general search, or of adding books from your own shelves.


message 5: by Selvaraj (new)

Selvaraj i believe that the list of boos would be more useful


message 6: by Ruth (new)

Ruth Mancini Ah, my mistake. I didn't realise I had more than one vote!


message 7: by Ruth (new)

Ruth Mancini Thanks Susanna, that was really helpful.


message 8: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (last edited Apr 24, 2013 08:28PM) (new)

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads No problem - I'm glad it was helpful.


BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood is not about 'women and mental illness'...


message 10: by Taylor (new)

Taylor This is an amazing list. Thank you.


message 11: by Fiona (new)

Fiona Hurley "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"?
Set in an all-male mental institution. The only female characters are nurses, prostitutes, and family members of the inmates.


message 12: by DEBORAH (new)

DEBORAH I was looking over this list and feel concerned that some books are in it.. for example, " The Dairy of Anne Frank". This book was written by a girl who , with her family had to hide from the Nazis. The book is her written journal from when she was in hiding. I don't understand why this is in a , Woman and mental illness list. Another is Judith Herman's " Trauma and Recovery". This book was a seminal work in the " Trauma Informed Care " Movement. I don't believe that was a good candidate for the list. It would be a better selection for a " Trauma infomed Care Book List. ' d


message 13: by [deleted user] (new)

Fiona wrote: ""One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"?
Set in an all-male mental institution. The only female characters are nurses, prostitutes, and family members of the inmates."


I agree, maybe they mean the the Big Nurse who seems to be a little crazy herself? Shouldn't be on this list though.


message 14: by Lindsay (new)

Lindsay Hey everybody -- I'm the creator of this list, and I agree with your criticisms of some of the books that have been added to it. If they're not about women and mental illness, they shouldn't be here!

Unfortunately it looks like the only books I have the editorial power to remove are ones that I added myself, and there's only thirteen of those.


message 15: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jun 11, 2016 07:08PM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) Lindsay wrote: " I'm the creator of this list, and I agree with your criticisms of some of the books that have been added to it. If they're not about women and mental illness, they shouldn't be here!

Unfortunately it looks like the only books I have the editorial power to remove are ones that I added myself.."


I'm willling to remove most books for you, as long as you clearly indicate title and position in the list. I've already removed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (#42), The Edible Woman (#55), Trauma and Recovery (#121), Anne Frank: The Biography (#149) and The Last Seven Months of Anne Frank (#469).

@DEBORAH
Can't seem to find The Diary of Anne Frank. Which position is it on?


message 16: by Allie (new)

Allie Hey y'all,

I just started a new book club called "Damage" under groups that you can join if you'd like! It focuses on reading a book every other month that is about physical, mental, emotional, or intellectual differences. (And yes, I redefine how "damage" should be viewed in the group description!) Hope you join!


message 17: by CraftyChara (new)

CraftyChara The Dream Catcher would be excellent for this list.


message 18: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Apr 08, 2021 08:40PM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) Cara's Craftsations wrote: "The Dream Catcher would be excellent for this list."

Well, if you think it qualifies, you could add it (if you're not the author). Just click on the 'Add Books To This List' tab (next to the 'All Votes' tab, at the top of this list).


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