Emmanuel Carrère begins the book as a lighthearted account of how yoga and meditation help him, including a ten-day silent retreat. Then he is hit by a severe depression and is hospitalized in a psychiatric clinic, where he receives electroconvulsive therapy and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The story moves between yoga, the breakdown, his time with refugees on the Greek island of Leros, and the aftermath of the terror attacks at Charlie Hebdo. Carrère mixes self-examination with reflection on writing and how to live.
Readers who enjoy first-person essays and memoir that follow a thought into unexpected places will find it frank.
Deep, inward-looking and contemplative; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2020
- Language
- EN
