Leaving the Hall Light On: A Mother's Memoir of Living with Her Son's Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide

"A moving read of tragedy, trying to prevent it, and coping with life after." - Midwest Book Review "Brave and Gritty. Innovative. Resourceful. Inspiring." - Story Circle Book Reviews "Poetically visceral, emotionally honest. An extraordinary memoir." - Irvin D. Godofsky, MD "Moving, intimate and very inspiring." - Mark Shelmerdine, CEO, Jeffers Press Leaving the Hall Light On charts the near-destruction of one middle-class family whose son committed suicide after a seven-year struggle with bipolar disorder. Madeline Sharples, author, poet and web journalist, goes deep into her own well of grief to describe her anger, frustration and guilt. She describes many attempts -- some successful, some not -- to have her son committed to hospital and to keep him on his medication. The book also charts her and her family's redemption, how she considered suicide herself, and ultimately, her decision live and take care of herself as a woman, wife, mother and writer.