“His writing talent shines in a book that is funny, compassionate, honest, and, for those not familiar with mood disorders, sad and horrifying.”

“ Unglued is anything but dismal. Zuckerman’s clear, compelling, self-revealing writing pulls you into his emotion and despair — laced with laughs. . . . ”

“Though facing a mental illness, Leah was portrayed with warmth and kindness, and as a person. Even when she was not behaving as a normal person would, the author’s love for her was obvious. . . . A poignant tale of living with someone who has mental illness. I enjoyed the author’s sense of humor while telling a story that was anything but humorous.”

“I had a hard time putting the book down. Beautifully written, engrossing, fascinating, scary, funny, sad, and hopeful. A work of art, and a huge service for many people.”

“A vivid and raw story of two people who loved each other’s ways of being, sarcasm and all, until bipolar disorder ripped dangerously into their relationship. The husband struggled with the ambiguous loss stemming from his wife’s late-onset illness. Angry and nearly unhinged, he recognized it was he who must change because the illness would not. Only at that point he was ready to grieve the loss of someone still there. Those who love someone with a serious mental illness should read this book. Caution: strong language for strong feelings. ”

“The stories tend to focus on difficult but funny situations, incremental volatility leading to hospitalization, and the thought processes that occurred along the way. It’s a delicate formula and can make for instructive reading from those suffering from the same disorder – it’s oddly reassuring to hear stories that echo your own and help you realize you aren’t the only person on the planet with a brain that works a certain way. . . . ”

“Zuckerman writes with humor, compassion, and hope about a complicated, emotional mental health journey. His writing is honest and unassuming, and he trusts the reader to gather the events, develop empathy, and draw their own conclusions about what it means to live and love in a family punched in the gut by mental illness. Readers on a similar journey will recognize they are not alone and be inspired to keep going.”

“An intense roller-coaster of emotion . . . a profound, courageous, human, heart-wrenching, and soulful love story.”

“Jeffrey Zuckerman has written a riveting love story about his wife’s descent into bipolar disorder and about how he and family members reacted to it and adapted to it. He provides a candid, raw, honest, loving, compassionate, courageous, and often humorous accounting of his wife’s episodes of mania and depression. Jeff reveals himself to be both a perplexed caregiver and keen observer, interweaving narratives about her condition and its effects on their family. Zuckerman shares a number of insights and resources that others will find helpful. From start to finish it is an arresting story that will engage and educate readers, increasing their understanding of this important topic. Those living with bipolar disorder, their friends, families, and the professionals who seek to help them can all benefit from this gem.”

“The author shares one of the most intimate experiences in life–becoming unglued during someone else’s trauma. The author provides a protected peek into what is ultimately a beautiful, testing, heartbreaking love story. The book is raw in its honesty, revealing in how much our internal narrative already makes excuses when we know something is not right, and disturbingly familiar to those of us who teeter on the brink of loving and losing.”

“The work of a master storyteller, Unglued is a mixture of sadness and levity. It’s a valuable resource for the mental health community, for consumers of mental health services and their partners, as well as for providers. It portrays the dilemmas of empathy and alienation in accessible narratives.”

“It’s a compelling read with a unique perspective.
Importantly, it made me laugh. For me the basis of healing is knowing we’re not alone in the universe, and feeling connected and heard and seen and loved. As a former mental health professional, I can see the book being helpful not only to family members but to professionals as well.
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