Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories that Make Us

Strangers to Ourselves is a New York Times Book Review top 10 book of the year that explores the experiences of five people who have come up against the limits of psychiatric explanations for who they are. It asks if the stories we tell around mental illness affect its course, outcomes, and identities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 25 January 2024
Publisher: Vintage Publishing

The New York Times Book Review has selected "Strangers to Ourselves" as one of the Top 10 Books of the Year. The book, written by Rachel Aviv, explores the experiences of five individuals who have faced the limitations of psychiatric explanations for their identities. It raises the question of whether the stories we tell about mental illness influence its course, outcomes, and even our sense of self.

Aviv draws on extensive reporting, written testimonies, and personal experiences from her childhood to provide a nuanced, compassionate, and revelatory account of how we understand ourselves during times of crisis and distress. The book has received critical acclaim from renowned publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Time, Washington Post, New Yorker, and Vogue, which have praised Aviv's ability to find language for the most ineffable registers of human experience.

"Strangers to Ourselves" is a powerful exploration of the complexities of mental illness, identity, and the power of storytelling to shape our understanding of the world. It is a must-read for anyone interested in these topics and is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Weight: 208g
Dimension: 197 x 128 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529111651