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"I didn't tell anyone that I was going to Santa Fe to kill myself."

On the outside, Terri Cheney was a highly successful, attractive Beverly Hills entertainment lawyer. But behind her seemingly flawless façade lay a dangerous secret—for the better part of her life Cheney had been battling debilitating bipolar disorder and concealing a pharmacy's worth of prescriptions meant to stabilize her moods and make her "normal."

In bursts of prose that mirror the devastating highs and extreme lows of her illness, Cheney describes her roller-coaster life with shocking honesty—from glamorous parties to a night in jail; from flying fourteen kites off the edge of a cliff in a thunderstorm to crying beneath her office desk; from electroshock therapy to a suicide attempt fueled by tequila and prescription painkillers.

With Manic, Cheney gives voice to the unarticulated madness she endured. The clinical terms used to describe her illness were so inadequate that she chose to focus instead on her own experience, in her words, "on what bipolar disorder felt like inside my own body." Here the events unfold episodically, from mood to mood, the way she lived and remembers life. In this way the reader is able to viscerally experience the incredible speeding highs of mania and the crushing blows of depression, just as Cheney did. Manic does not simply explain bipolar disorder—it takes us in its grasp and does not let go.

In the tradition of Darkness Visible and An Unquiet Mind, Manic is Girl, Interrupted with the girl all grown up. This harrowing yet hopeful book is more than just a searing insider's account of what it's really like to live with bipolar disorder. It is a testament to the sharp beauty of a life lived in extremes.

Average Customer Rating:

I don't recommend this one

Customer Rating:

I really didn't think this was very informative, certainly not a "must-read". As a person afflicted with this disorder myself, I don't think the author's descriptions were too accurate. The author even admits that the events included in the book are out of order (understandable with this disorder), but I think it makes it very hard to follow. Pass this one up. If you're looking for an excellent first-person account of bipolar disorder, I highly recommend Madness: A Bipolar Life

Good Try

Customer Rating:

Terri Cheney attempts to give an accurate picture of what it's like living with bipolar disorder by telling her story in disjointed fragments. The stories are not chronological and often being thrown into them is disorienting -- much like I imagine having bipolar disorder itself is. Manic may accurately tell what it's like to live under this all-encompassing mental illness, but that doesn't mean it's particularly good for the reader. It left me feeling disjointed -- and not in a good way. Cheney comes off as deeply unlikable (a common problem that afflicts sufferers), even to her readers. It's one thing to tell the reader that you are unlikable (maybe even make them dislike you to some extent), but if you do it enough, well, the reader just stops reading. If you're interested in a first person narrative regarding bipolar disorder, try picking up Madness: A Bipolar Life by Marya Hornbacher.

unknkown	Customer Rating:
I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, but I have a daughter that is manic so I am sure I will get much out of reading the book.

Lord Help us

Customer Rating:

The tragedy in this book is not so much the authors illness, it is the fact with her available resources she did not really receive the help she needed and has become another societal burden. Perhaps there wasn't enough room in her treatment for her ego and the doctors who tried to help her. I feel yucked all over for even spending valuable time reading this book. The only reason I kept reading was to see if she actually ever figured out life is a gift but then I got it loud and clear, narcissits are THE gift.

Terri Cheney's profound, shocking, and insightful tale

Customer Rating:

Manic takes its readers on a journey through the treacherous bouts of mania and the bleak depths of depression. Terri Cheney is a prime example of how mental illness and tragedy can afflict even the brightest, most educated, wealthy and above all pristine looking individuals. As a powerful and respected entertainment lawyer, she represented high profile clients and mingled with A-list celebrities, all while keeping up the illusion of normalcy. For most people, there is no such thing as too much happiness. However, for Cheney, surges of happiness tend to foreshadow danger because they signify a descent into mania. The manic episodes become charged by bursts of unlimited energy which spurn sexual impropriety and complete lack of self control. Her portrayal of her experience with depression reveals her vulnerability and loneliness, leading to a number of suicide attempts, both spontaneous and planned. There is no chronological order to the book, as Cheney explains, because "life for me is not defined by time, but by mood". While this disjointed style takes some getting used to, it is also effective in mirroring the chaotic nature of manic depression, just as Cheney had wanted. Cheney's writing style is personal and inviting, as though she is recounting her tragic tales to a close friend. Many events in her life are quite shocking and the vivid descriptions of her suffering are sometimes hard to digest. Nonetheless, these stories are an important part of her past and a reality of those who must cope with manic depression. They remind us of how fragile human beings can be and that appearances are not always as they seem. Cheney's pain is clearly manifested throughout the novel but the humor intertwined in her narration shows a sense of acceptance and maturity. Her ability to look back upon the most excruciating years in her life with insight and understanding is remarkable. Terri Cheney should be applauded for her courage to open up to the world about her struggle with bipolar disorder. I know I am grateful to her for letting me in.