"I Never Promised You A Rose Garden", by Hannah Green
I never promised you a rose garden
A novel by Hannah Green
“I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” is an autobiographical novel by Joanne Greenberg, written under the pen name of Hannah Green in 1964. It is the fictionalized story of her own hospitalization and treatment for so called “schizophrenia”. She describes her powerful struggle for recovery and shows that by finding sense in her psychotic experiences, she found a way back to a happy and self-determined life.
The book was made into a film in 1977.
A book review from Amazon:
Schizophrenia, youth, family, anti-semitism, the 1940s. Sometimes things break down despite the best of intentions. Highly sensitive youth are particularly prone to damage in a schizoid society that – despite its gadgets and inventions – has very far to go in becoming a world fit for human beings. Occasionally, an artist survives, through unbelievable and steadfast courage and support and faith in the person to heal. Drugs do not change someone from within. Only genuine human bonds can do that, as Dr. Fried did for Deborah. Only by taking the side of the patient can humanity be cured of its demons. Trendy as dismissing psychotherapy in lieu of drugs is, this book speaks the truth, eloquently and courageously.