* This is part of my Common book review segment.*
** Note that this review is not as polished or coherent as the others, but as you will see, that is not really the point.**
Earlier in the year, I mentioned that I was reviewing books as part of my schools Common Book program. Even though I had signed up to read four, I only read and reviewed three during the winter break. The fourth book, It's Kind of A Funny Story, proved to be a more difficult read, and therefore I did not get around to finishing it until this week. When I say that it was a more difficult read, I am referring to the emotional density of it rather than the actual difficulty of the material. Even though the reviews were due back in January, (and I did do a preliminary review of IKOAFS) I thought that I would still provide commentary now that I have truly finished everything.
It is apparent after reading all of the nominated titles, that addressing mental illness is part of the objective for the program this year. This has the potential to be a very good thing, because all of the nominated titles are insightful, thought provoking, and relatable to college students, but It's Kind of A Funny Story is a book that gets worse before it gets better. The book chronicles Craig Gilner's, five day stay in a psychiatric hospital, and the events that lead to his voluntary admittance. In some ways, the book is structured much like depression; some days are going to be better than others, and some parts of this book are also going to better than others. I think that it was harder for me to read, because many of the thoughts that Craig has during his low points, are ones that I have felt at times in my life. There were times when I had to put the book down and think about other things, because it felt physically and emotionally painful to continue further.
I know that this is less of a review, and more of my own personal commentary, but I think that IKOAFS serves as more of a character study and a deep analysis of depression, and so commenting on specific plot points becomes less important. The more important messages are ones of hope, and the possibility of things getting better. By the end of book, we have gone on a very personal emotional journey with Craig, and when he starts to feel hopeful for the future, it generates hope in the reader, and allows for moments of genuine catharsis.
When I did my initial review, I noted that this did not feel like the right choice for Common Book, but for my own benefit, I would now like to amend that. This book aligns well with the objectives of the program, and it is accessible and relatable to just about any one. It is a good choice for incoming freshman and transfer students, because even those who do not suffer from depression or anxiety, will be able to identify with the themes being presented in the book. One relatable moment in particular, and one that becomes an overarching topic throughout the book is that of school, and having a "sixth life crisis". While it is not the root cause of Craig's depression, the pressure put on him at his elite high school is part of what leads him to contemplate suicide. As college students, we can all relate to experiencing similar pressures, and I think that it raises an important point about the way our education system is structured, and how it responds to issues of mental illness. Even within the text, there is commentary on it, when Craig has a conversation with his school principal. His principal comments that Craig is not the first person at the school, or in general to be hospitalized, and that it "happens all of the time", but that is part of the problem; it does happen far too often. By the end of his hospital stay, Craig makes the decision to change school's and pursue what actually makes him happy, and I think that that is an important thing that all of us should consider. Not just as college students, but throughout various stages in our life, we should examine why we are pursuing different avenues, and whether the pain and stress associated with it is worth it. The take away message of the book then becomes one of hope, but also serves as a means of self-reflection, to determine if any of the external pressures that we put on ourselves, are worth the mental, emotional, and physical ramifications. While there is a lot more that could be said about IKOAFS, I think that this covers the most important things. Overall Grade: B-.
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