Sharp is the harrowing, heartbreaking, and ultimately inspiring memoir of a man who suffered from bipolar disorder and cut himself to relieve the depression. Fitzpatrick vividly shows how a (mostly) happy childhood and adolescence metamorphosed into an untethered early …more adulthood. When he began manifesting symptoms, he had no idea what was happening, only that he felt as if he had "black bile" oozing underneath his skin. After a horrific breakdown, he entered his first psychiatric facility in his early '20s; he didn't leave for good until nearly 20 years later. This book will prove especially enlightening for those who work in the mental health professions or who have a personal or family history of psychiatric disorders, but anyone who appreciates well-written memoirs will also find much to admire. (less)

Hustvedt's fifth novel details a poet’s mid-life reassessment of her marriage during one transformative summer. While the ending wraps up matters a bit too neatly, the narrator's strong voice proves both comforting and thought-provoking throughout. Smart summer reading for …more those seeking alternatives to typical “beach reads”. (less)