BOOK: I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

During my holiday in Borneo, I read "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb - a very intensive read! This is not meant to be a feel good story, but rather, a difficult and sometimes disturbing, story that about 2 brothers who struggle with themselves, their relationship with each other as well as their parents, and so much more. This book was selected by the Oprah Book Club which is a great honour since Oprah is quite particular about the books that are selected.

This is a story about how a family copes with mental illness, narrated by one of the main characters Dominick, whose twin brother Thomas, suffers from schizophrenia. Since this takes place during the Bush Senior administration at the the adult stage (and 20 earlier during their childhood), it painfully illustrates how misunderstood mental illnesses were then & still are today without a doubt - awareness is gradual). It starts with Thomas amputating his hand in order to make a statement for his "sins", so he proclaims. It goes back in time with flashbacks to different stages of childhood, adolescence, adulthood: feelings of confusion, joy, fear, hate, anger, and doubt. The story describes the family abuse experienced by the boys, leading up to Thomas' illness and how their characters evolved. We learn about Dominick's personal struggles, which shift from wanting to cut himself free of the smothering Thomas, with his never-ending neediness, to wanting to fiercely protect him because of his vulnerability, loneliness & utter hopelessness. Throughout it ALL, Dominick displays great love, despite never having any real support in his life or proper role model to guide his love and becomes everyone's backbone - at the expense of his own well-being.

I recommend this book but as I explained, it is not an easy read. It is a long book, close to 900 pages in the paperback form, so it requires your patience and undivided attention. It is a serious book dealing with many serious topics which we tend to ignore in our everyday lives. Treat this book with the loving care that it deserves. Last Saturday I was waiting for the bank machine when a young man walked along, shouting and laughing in a totally harmless way. I watched as people shifted, looked elsewhere, ignored him by pretending he did not exist and even saw a lady turn from him while he tried to share his simple observations about the bank (which was closed every Saturday). I took the time to see him for what he was, a harmless person who just wanted to be heard so I smiled at him, he smiled back and then he continued contently on his way.