9. The Eden Express - Mark Vonnegut
Mark Vonnegut is of course, the son of counterculture writer Kurt Vonnegut (who even writes the introduction to Mark's book) The Eden Express is his memoir of a schizophrenic/psychotic meltdown - what led up to it and how he recovered from it. Mark is a bit of a hippie, and after graduating from college he assembles himself, his girlfriend and a VW bug to travel to Canada to found a hippie commune with his friends. This is in 1969. By 1971, Mark's sanity is in a rather precarious situation. He has consumed mescaline and cannot sleep or eat. He is also delusional and suicidal. He is brought to hospital and diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. However he proved to be sane enough to study as a doctor after this episode faded. Mark Vonnegut brings the reality of insanity painfully alive in his memoir. Whenever you read about his delusions, they spring to life and it is as painful as if you were experiencing them yourself. One thing really makes the book though, Vonnegut's humour shines throughout the text and it is far from being a misery fest despite its solemn subject matter. Everything is recounted in a very precise manner and Hippie life and culture are also very well portrayed. It is an amusing, wry but slightly freaky book that will resonate strongly for people who have had experiences similar to Vonnegut and it will paint a vivid and accurate picture of psychosis for those who are lucky enough to have been spared it.