(Belfast, ME) Left Bank Books invites the public to a talk and book signing at the shop on Tuesday, September 8 to celebrate that day’s release of Sandler’s debut memoir, What Kind of Mother, an unflinchingly honest, voice-driven interrogation of her son’s descent into severe mental illness Joining Sandler in conversation is Susan Conley, author of Landslide, Elsy Come Home, and The Foremost Good Fortune, among other books.
For Sandler’s son, what appeared to be substance use disorder in high school later became a dual diagnosis as bipolar disorder emerged. He soon grew disillusioned with prescribed pharmaceuticals and participated in a residential treatment program that assisted people in forgoing medication altogether. However, the program ultimately ejected him for the very behaviors that medicine once managed. What Kind of Mother chronicles Sandler’s initial denial of her truth, her painful awakening to mental illness in her family, and her eventual acceptance that she cannot save her son—only he can save himself.
In an advance review, Elissa Altman, author most recently of Permission: The New Memoirist and the Courage to Create, writes:
“What Kind of Mother is a poignant, brilliantly-written evocation of what it means to come to terms with a child’s addiction and mental illness, and in the process one’s own struggles and history overcoming secrecy and shame, and how they conspire to destroy families from within. Absolutely unforgettable—this is a story that will stay with me forever. “
Another advance review is from Dr. David Goodman, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He writes: “The narrative becomes a source of solace, forging connections among those who share in the silent struggles of nurturing and supporting adult children with mental health challenges.”
About
Sandler is the creative nonfiction editor for both The Stonecoast Review and The Awakenings Review. She holds an MLA from Johns Hopkins University and an MFA from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. Her work has appeared in The New York Times’ “Tiny Love Stories,” The Atticus Review, and Pangyrus. She and her husband live in midcoast Maine and are the parents of three adult children. What Kind of Mother is her first book.
Event Information
Seating for this event is limited, and reservations are strongly recommended by calling Left Bank Books at (207) 338-9009 or sending an email to info@leftbankbookshop.com. There is ample free parking available in front of the shop and in an adjacent city lot.
