Beyond Crazy

Being in a band is Stelle’s salvation. It is her escape from the chaotic clutter at home and her mother’s depression. Even though she is able to lose herself for a few hours, pounding away on the drums in the basement of her dad’s new house, as soon as she leaves, it’s as if the world is going crazy all around her: one bandmate’s parents refuse to acknowledge their son is gay; her band’s only potential lead singer dresses like a vampire; and even her best friend, Lu, with the “perfect family,” has been on edge lately. But it’s the strange, confused conversations that Stelle has with her grandmother in the nursing home that hold the key to unlocking the unhappiness at the heart of her family.

In any given year, one in five Canadians will experience symptoms of mental disorder. So why do we still have such a long way to go towards true understanding and acceptance? Because people are afraid to talk. Beyond Crazy takes us beyond the barriers of fear and stigma to meet real Canadians from all walks of life who have encountered mental illness. They tell stories of what it is like to journey to the edge of the abyss and back again, of what it is like to suffer deep psychosis or depression, a misdiagnosis, a life-threatening eating disorder, the suicide of a loved one. And they tell stories of hope recovered, of finding the road back to wellness, of families made stronger than ever. Using the most honest and compelling language – and often a good dose of humour – brave celebrities and unsung heroes tell it like it is. By doing so, they make it easier for those who follow, easier to get past the fear, to move beyond crazy.

Imagine a world of Gatsby-esque glamor, opulence, and cultural prestige, of exclusive parties and elegant dinners, of literary luminaries including Somerset Maugham, Daphne du Maurier, Irving Stone, and Theodore Roethke, of Manhattan townhouses and country estates. This is a world where children are raised by nannies, tutors, chauffeurs, gardeners, butlers, maids, and assorted staff, sent off to private schools—and largely ignored by their parents. Publishing magnate Nelson Doubleday’s daughter, Neltje, was raised to assume her place as a society matron. But beneath a seemingly idyllic childhood, darker currents ran: a colorful but alcoholic father whose absences left holes, a mother incapable of love, a family divided by money and power struggles, and a secret that drove the young woman into emotional isolation. North of Crazy is her story—written with the same fierce passion, wit, and emotion that drove her off the conventional path to reconstruct her life from base zero. She became an artist, cattle rancher, and entrepreneur.

In the spirit of The Game and The Blind Side, a raw, raucous and unvarnished look at life between the posts. No one role in the world of sports is as intimidating, exhilarating and as stress-ridden as the job of a hockey goaltender. Standing in the crease facing one-hundred-mile-an-hour slapshots, the entire game riding on your glovehand, standing on your head when necessary—all job requirements for those wanting to be the best goalies in the world. Now imagine doing that job while suffering high anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder, and having your career nearly literally cut short by a skate across your neck. The Crazy Game takes you deep into the troubled mind of Clint Malarchuk, the former NHL goaltender for the Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals and the Buffalo Sabres. Even as a boy, Malarchuk faced such deep anxiety that he missed school, and he acted out at school and with his friends. His OCD changed the way he trained, and he was almost always the last player on the ice. When his throat was slashed during a goal-mouth mishap, Malarchuk nearly died on the ice. Forever changed, he struggled deeply with the depression and substance abuse that nearly cost him his life.

California Crazy & Beyond: Roadside Venacular Architecture is the most thorough documentation of this ususual architectural style, and a greatly enhanced, fully revised version of the classic book that first explored the movement."--BOOK JACKET.

The Magical Stranger is a moving story of love and sacrifice, fathers and sons, heroism and duty, soldiers and the families they leave behind. On November 28, 1979, squadron commander and Navy pilot Peter Rodrick died when his plane crashed in the Indian Ocean, leaving behind a devastated wife, two daughters, and a 13-year-old son. In this powerful, beautifully written book, journalist Stephen Rodrick explores the life and death of the man who indelibly shaped his life, even as he remained a mystery. Through adolescence and into adulthood, Stephen Rodrick struggled to fully grasp the reality of his father’s death and its permanence. To better understand his father, Rodrick turned to members of his father’s former squadron, the "World-Famous Black Ravens." As he learns about his father, he uncovers the layers of these sailors’ lives: their loves, friendships, dreams, disappointments—and the consequences of their choices on those they leave behind. The journey doesn’t end until November 28, 2013, when Rodrick’s first son is born 34 years to the day after his father’s mishap. A penetrating, thoughtful blend of memoir and reportage, The Magical Stranger is a moving reflection on the meaning of military service and the power of a father’s legacy.