Author(s): Ron Powers

Popular Science

How did we get to a point in society where, as one politician said in 2010, "No one cares about crazy people?" It's a question that bestselling author Ron Powers set out to answer, after both of his sons were diagnosed with schizophrenia and the issue of mental health in America became all too personal. What he found was a legacy of bad science, ill-advised policies, and phony promises that stretches back generations. Braided with this fascinating social history is the moving story of Powers' own family-his beloved sons Kevin (a spirited and gifted musician) and Dean (a bright young writer), and the heartbreak that they faced when Kevin took his own life. For Powers, the question of "what to do about crazy people" isn't just academic; it's deeply personal. And he's determined to forge a better way forward, for his family's sake as well as for the countless others who deserve better. Book jacket.