9 Highland Road: Sane Living for the Mentally Ill (Paperback)

by Michael Winerip (Author) "TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1988, Julie Callahan made the long trip by train from the mental hospital where she'd been living the last sixteen months to..." (more)
Key Phrases: borderline unit, overnight counselor, apartment program, Glen Cove, Linda Slezak, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Julie Callahan, victim of her father's sexual and physical abuse, suffers multiple personality disorder. Anthony Constantine, a paranoid schizophrenic, wrestles with tormenting voices whose power is reduced somewhat by the drug clozapine. Stan Gunter, a polyglot pianist, plunged four stories after he heard God commanding him to jump over a balcony; miraculously he survived. These are some of the residents of a group home for the mentally ill in Glen Cove, N.Y., the focus of this harrowing account by New York Times national educational correspondent Winerip. Having spent two years at the home on a daily basis, he makes us care deeply about these people, their crises and breakthroughs in therapy. Beginning with coverage of community protests that aimed to prevent the home from opening in 1987, this narrative highlights warring state and local agencies, funding cutbacks and bureaucratic snafus; in so doing, it exposes glaring weaknesses in the mental health system.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Most people are not familiar with the idea of group homes for the mentally ill. Winerip, a correspondent for the New York Times, corrects the situation in this absorbing account of a group home in Glen Cove, Long Island. Particularly noteworthy are his portrayal of the politics involved in the fight to establish the home as well as his well-written case histories of five of the home's residents. According to Winerip, not only are group homes less expensive to operate than mental institutions, they have higher success rates. Contrary to popular opinion, these homes and their residents cause no harm to their host communities and should not be feared. This thorough, wonderfully written book will set the standard for future works on this overlooked subject. Highly recommended wherever demand warrants, especially in communities where group homes exist or are planned.
January Adams, ODSI Research Lib., Raritan, N.J.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (May 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679761608
• ISBN-13: 978-0679761600
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #364,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HUMANE & GENTLE ALTERNATIVE, August 27, 2000

By	BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is one of the most heartwarming, uplifting books I have ever read about mental illness. Mr. Winerip clearly cares about his housemates and has created a loving alternative to a hospital or standard halfway house. He has literally built a community for the people at 9 Highland Road and has provided a gentle voice of encouragement to the residents. His approach is very humane and it comes as no surprise that the people at 9 Highland Road flourish and blossom towards health. To his credit, Mr. Winerip makes no promises. He appears to take the approach of joy in each day with the people who share his vision.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tells it like it is!, August 11, 2001

By	Bee (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

I have worked with people who suffer with mental illness for the past 11 years on Long Island. The past nine in community residences (one was mentioned in this book). Michael Winerip has done an excellent job of portraying what it is like to live and work in a community residence. Not only is it a daily battle for the residents, the staff do battle/advocate on the residents' behalf constantly with the government, OMH, clinicians, community, and family members. I applaud him for this book. It is full of life and crucial information for the general public and professionals. Anyone that has the slightest tie to the mental health system (which is probably more people than would admit it) I urge to read this book! It has many pages that are filled with valuable information. Don't be discouraged by the size of this book. I read it in 4 1/2 days and I am a full time program supervisor at a community residence in suffolk county, go to school, am on-call 24 hrs. a day and believe it or not I have a social life. For those working in the mental health field, I found this book rejuvinating. At a time when I was feeling "burnt out" it gave me strength and reminded me why I have spent so many years working with this gifted population. My residents have taught me many valuable things, and I believe that Michael expresses this in the book. I haven't read such a fulfilling book in many years!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A moving account of life at a group home for the mentaly ill, July 14, 1999

By	Stephen G. Hurley "steve-h" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

9 Highland Road is a really two separate tales woven together: one a frequently moving and touching life and times of a revolving group of mentally ill people, their families, and the social workers who help them care for themselves at a group home for the mentally ill; the second a sad and discouraging account of the political forces (particularly the NIMBY syndrome) at work in the mental health system.

There are some real-life villians in this book -- cowardly politicians who knowingly oppose group homes because of political pressure, and neighbors who oppose the group home out of ignorance or disgust (including one woman who said "the mere fact that I see them when I look out my window is unpleasant") -- but many more modern-day heroes, particularly the underpaid and underappreciated social workers who make countless sacrifices to help people in need. The next time you hear someone complain that we don't have heroes anymore, tell them to read about Linda Slezak, Maureen Coley, or Dom Constantine, among others, "ordinary" people who do extraordinary things and are moved by a spirit of love.

This book humanizes people suffering -- and suffering is the right word -- from a variety of mental illnesses, and sheds light on the enormous difficulties that mental patients and their families must face. The stories of these people are sometimes unbearably sad and ocassionally incredibly uplifting, but never boring. As entertainment 9 Highland is a real page-turner, but this is much more than entertainment: it is an important book that will help you understand mental illness, and mentally ill people, much better than you did before .... and hopefully one which will make people treat those suffering from these diseases with much more compassion, respect, and understanding.