Publication Date August 3, 2025
As I freely admitted when I read and reviewed Laura Delano’s Unshrunk, “…I have had my share of interactions with mental health care, and that I honestly feel I’m here thanks in part to the wonders of pharmacology and skilled therapy…I also admit that I have close friends and family members who have a totally different view of the whole topic (in fact, one person who used to be (but sadly is no longer) close to me went through what I would call serious traumatic events including suicidal efforts, hospitalization, and major efforts at medical interventions, only to finally throw up her hands and say “f%^k it, I QUIT!” and stop her meds cold turkey. So I have done a fair amount of thinking and wondering what is the best way to deal with a mental health issue…only to finally land on accepting that it’s a totally individual thing and there isn’t one right solution for everyone (ok, go ahead and say it: “DUH!”)”
Because I am curious enough to continue to read and view personal tales of experiences dealing with mental health, I was happy to have the opportunity to read Unshrunk this spring, and I am fortunate once again, as I received a copy of Tiffany Jenkins’s A Clean Mess (thanks to Rodale/Harmony and NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.
Ms. Jenkins proved what an excellent storyteller and brave woman she is with 2019’s High Achiever (perfectly subtitled “The Incredible True Story of One Addict’s Double Life,” so I had high hopes for her latest.
Once again, there is a subtitle: “ A Memoir of Sobriety After a Lifetime of Being Numb,” which made me love it going in. With the exception of one seemingly cranky teacher who gave it a strangely low three stars, all the reviews I have seen have praised it for its honesty, vulnerability, humor, and the way it made the readers FEEL. I agree with all of this!
To quote my review of Unshrunk again, “To the extent that everyone has a story to tell, I applaud anyone who can be vulnerable enough to share their story with others.” And wow does Mss. Jenkins have a story to tell, and the skill to do it in a helpful, unflinching, informative, and entertaining way. Bottom line: this one is a solid 5-stars from me .