#BookReview of Committed by Paolina Milana

I could talk about mental health and trauma for several posts and recommend several books to read. What makes Committed by Paolina Milana a great choice is the realness of Paolina's experience and the way she uses language to describe her experiences. It is a gift to experience someone's story in this honest and forthright way. This book is an excellent choice for anyone interested in reading a firsthand account about the search for freedom and independence after taking care of a loved one experiencing mental illness. I received a free PDF of the book for this review. 

 

The pacing is on point and brings Paolina's experiences into a light of understanding that is relatable, educational, and heartbreaking. I highly recommend reading Committed and taking it slow to truly engage with Paolina's experiences and resilience. Some material may be triggering, particularly the death of a parent and suicide. 

I have not read the S Word by Paolina yet, but I intend to read it and then reread Committed. I could relate to Paolina's experience without the details in The S Word, and I am curious if the memoirs could be stand alones or if I would recommend reading them in a certain order.

 

I finished the book. It was enlightening for me to experience Paolina's letters to and from her family since I am unfamiliar with Italian.  One of my key factors for reading books is if I would recommend it to others, and if I would reread the book.  I would do both, recommending to others and to reread the book myself. I was reminded of The Memory Palace by Mira Bartok and her experiences with her mother experiencing schizophrenia. There are several books on my to do list that are related to Paolina's experiences.

The theme is captured by the following sentences: “I stared down at my mound of misery, crumpled messily inside my box. For now, my priorities were all me: wrap up class projects, focus on finals, and finish registering for next semester. I inhaled until my lungs could take in no more and held it.”

Overall the book was easy to read and engaging. I appreciated Paolina's experiences and insight throughout this book. I look forward to reading more of Paolina's work and rereading Committed.