Quotes
“Unlike so much writing about mental illness, Merkin’s memoir isn’t prescriptive or bogged down with statistics; it’s a cleareyed, insightful account of how she felt during her nosedives into despair. The book is shot through with a self-awareness that helps readers cheer her on.” New York Times
“[Merkin] narrates…with insight, grace, and excruciating clarity, in exquisite and sometimes darkly humorous prose…for all its highly personal focus, it is an important addition to the literature of mental illness.” New York Times Book Review
“Illuminating, heartbreaking, and powerfully written…Merkin eloquently blends the personal with the researched; her intellectual tenacity and emotional rawness impress.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Dark thoughts hover over virtually every page of this mesmerizing memoir, and yet there is also the very real possibility of hope.” Booklist (starred review)
“Extraordinarily lucid and moving…This is a book for all those who know nothing about depression and for those who know too much.” Adam Phillips, author of Unforbidden Pleasures
“Brings a stunningly perceptive voice to the forefront of the conversation about depression, one that is both reassuring and revelatory.” Carol Gilligan, author of In a Different Voice
“This Close to Happy is honest, fearless in the way we have come to expect from Daphne Merkin, and, as a bonus, frankly informative.” Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, president, Child Mind Institute