Five Lost Years: A Personal Exploration of Schizophrenia by Christina Alexandra, John Paul Brady "Christina is a beautiful and gifted writer. The chapters are short and she recalls the horrid experiences of her psychotic episodes, yet at the same time, she tells stories of some aspects of the episodes that in hindsight make you smile.
She is forthright and frank about her experiences with a man she had been "in love" with. I am proud of this book because as a schizophrenic myself, living in Pennsylvania, I'd always been led to assume that schizophrenics are NOT beautiful and smart, but Christina proves otherwise with her book. I would like to read more about Christina's life experiences. I enjoyed reading words of someone who has gone through similar experiences as I."

"Five Lost Years is that rarest of things--an articulate first person account of life with schizophrenia. The author, Christina Alexandra, experiences horror and delusions, but also unrequited infatuations (not unlike us). Despite her illness, she manages to become a Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader (or "Liberty-Belle"), as well as take courses at Cornell University. Five Lost Years dispels a lot of stereotypes about severe mental illness. For one, Ms. Alexandra is no dummy. Secondly, she is actually quite glamorous (something not usually associated with schizophrenia!). The book closes with an upbeat Christian message, with the intricacies of her "witness" elaborated in the Afterward. This book should be of interest to anyone (patient, doctor, or family) associated with schizophrenia."

Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Consumers and Providers This book "...was a Godsend, helping me to realize that mental illness often strikes the most gifted, talented individuals. And far from 'poor parenting,' families of the mentally ill often develop extraordinary coping skills, such that they are more "together" than families untouched by mental illness...the resources are excellent. I highly recommend it to anyone who is even remotely interested in this topic."
"A person I know who has schizophrenia told me that this book was the best description of the disease he had ever seen."
"For families, consumers, and providers,.."this book..." is the bible on almost every aspect of the disorder. Buy copies for yourself, parents, children, friends, teachers, clergy, ...."

Schizophrenia Revealed: From Neurons to Social Interaction by Michael Foster Green "For clinicians trying to understand their patients and for family members of people affected with schizophrenia, Green...discusses the current understanding of the long-mysterious mental disorder, particularly as revealed by neuroscience. He explains brain development and neurocognitive deficits, the new generation of medication, recent findings from brain imaging, genetics, cognitive rehabilitation, and the determinants of functional outcome."

Understanding Schizophrenia : A Guide to the New Research on Causes and Treatment by Richard S.E. Keefe, Philip D. Harvey "Two noted researchers provide an accessible, timely guide to schizophrenia, discussing the nature of the disease, recent advances in understanding brain structure and function, and the latest psychological and drug treatments."
"Positives/novelties include various experiences with the illness, told in form of stories, on different possibilities and courses of the illness for different people, and the human suffering, and comprehensive information on various aspects of the illness, and where to get help, etc. It provided answers to some of my specific questions such as the danger of violence from an ill person and how drugs may contribute to the illness, which I haven't found in other books."