When the Music's Over: My Journey into Schizophrenia [Mass Market Paperback]

Ross David Burke (Author), Richard Gates (Editor), Robin Hammond (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

Written in mental hospitals, in jail, and while its author was functioning in the community, this book is an intense, intimate portrait of the inner life of a schizophrenic. As soon as Burke finished this autobiographical "novel" in 1985, he took a massive overdose of drugs and ended a life that been plagued by paranoid schizophrenia for more than a decade.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this autobiographical "novel," Burke reveals his world as a paranoid schizophrenic in intimate detail. He is the third of four sons born in Australia in the 1950s, and his early family life proved uneventful. After a short employment career, his mental instability surfaced. He sank into a delusional life of drugs, sex, and rock'n'roll and proceeded to enter and leave mental hospitals over a period of years. At the end, we learn that Burke committed suicide shortly after the completion of this book in 1985. Edited by Burke's neuropsychologist and teacher, Gates, the book opens with an introduction that prepares the reader for the roller-coaster ride of emotions to come. The book ends with a very concise description of schizophrenia and its subtypes, as well as a list of references for further reading. Ultimately a book for lay readers, this is an adequate, though not necessary, addition to public and academic libraries.
Lisa Wise, Univ. of Southern Colorado, Pueblo
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Burke, a young Australian who committed suicide in 1985, describes himself as "a drug-induced alcoholic psychopathic paranoid schizophrenic with manic depression." He left a note asking his former teacher, neuropsychologist Richard Gates, to publish his manuscript. That impossible-to-follow (much less fathom) book appears here. It reads like a twisted but ever-so-hip William Burroughs hoping to impress Aldous Huxley and R. D. Laing with the severity of his psychosis. In fact, Burke's "autobiographical novel" is approachable only with the help of the abundant footnotes and explanatory preface and afterword. The editors lead the reader through Burke's childhood and teen years, his use of psychedelic drugs, and his incarcerations and hospitalizations. They also annotate many of the bewildering passages in the book: the birth of Burke's child, which he thought was responsible for a cyclone that devastated a nearby city, or his robbery of a bank, after which he tossed the money out the getaway car's window as evidence that he was God and "the inventor of rock and roll." This painful but illuminating text will prove fascinating to anyone seeking to understand the strange malady that is schizophrenia. Ron Antonucci --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Plume (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452275849
• ISBN-13: 978-0452275843
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #812,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: When the Music's Over: My Journey into Schizophrenia (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the truest depiction of schizophrenia i've ever come across. a must read if any of you have a schizophrenic friend that you're trying to understand. brutally truthful, amazingly accurate.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Inventor of Rock and Roll Rests in Peace., June 6, 2002

By 

tonyscam "tonyscam" (Fort Worth, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When the Music's over: My Journey into Schizophrenia (Hardcover)

I'm quite convinced that, had he not been disabled by his illness, Ross David Burke would have made a hell of an artist/entertainer -- novels, songwriting, perhaps even comedy. Now, yes, I live with a psychotic disorder myself, and yes, this book illustrates disordered thought better than any other I've read, but that's not the point I wish to make. Underneath all the crazy confusion, there's a lot of wit and humor, as well as some stunning insights on human nature. His supporting characters come alive -- which is especially impressive, considering the isolating effect schizophrenia has on its sufferers. As self-absorbed as protagonist/narrator Sphere may be, friends like Uncle Cane Toad, and lost love Elysium, are unforgettable.

Me, I got my illness well under control, with modern medication long ago (if only Ross had had access to today's drugs!) When sanity gets a little dull, there's much stimulation to be had from the story of Sphere. The tragic ending is a hefty price to pay for the wild ride, but I pay it at least twice a year.

I dearly hope Ross would be comforted to know: His book is not only educational, but FUN! Rest in peace, Sphere!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece of World Literature, December 11, 2001

By 

Edwin B. Wollet - See all my reviews

This review is from: When the Music's over: My Journey into Schizophrenia (Hardcover)

A must read for family and friends of someone who has schizophrenia. Should be required reading for mental health professionals. And, as a survivor of schizophrenia, I would highly recommend it to fellow survivors. A masterpiece.