THE MIND AND THE MOON My Brother's Story, the Science of Our Brains, and the Search for Our Psyches

Daniel Bergner's exploration of the scientific landscape of mental illness and its treatment is wide-ranging and, ultimately, fairly depressing. Bergner's voice is pleasant and genuine, but his carefully enunciated performance is a bit too measured and restrained when added notes of anger and fear would be completely appropriate. Bergner lays out the limited success of psychotropic drugs--often no better than placebos and accompanied by irreversible side effects such as obesity, hair loss, and debilitating tremors. Mushrooms, LSD, and talk therapy are no better. Amid the academic research, Bergner embeds the extensive stories of three individuals living with mental illness, including his brother Bob, adding heart to this important work. Although this is still a fine audiobook, a performer equal to the value of the text would have added value. A.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]