“Letters of May”: A collection of glimpses into mental illness from the inside
Posted: February 8, 2019 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Nonfiction | Tags: Book Review, Letters of May, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Writing to be Read 5 Comments
Letters of May is, to my knowledge, a unique collection of writings, poetry and artwork which offer glimpses of mental illness from an inner perspective. I can see how someone afflicted with any of the mental illnesses addressed within it’s pages might be grateful to find others who relate with them and the knowledge that they are not alone. These authors have vowed to fight against the stigma of mental illness and share of themselves openly.
For someone who is not afflicted, they offer opportunities to step into the authors shoes and see the world as they do. For the authors and others who are afflicted, dealing with their mental illness is a way of life, encountered on a daily basis. For me, they were a learning experience, identifying some things, but also exploring worlds foreign to my experiences.
These pages might be empowering to some, and enlightening to others. This collection was compiled with the intention of raising awareness of mental illness. Their message above all else: Those with mental health issues are more than their illness. They are still human beings and deserve to be treated with dignity and understanding. This book has much to offer all readers. I give Letters of May five quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Writing to be Read 
I must say, Kaye, that this book really does sound most intriguing.
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Reading it gave me a few epiphanies. It is one of those books where the authors bear their souls and put them on public display for all to see. That takes some guts and I applaud every contributor to this anthology.
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[…] I also plan to make two reviews each month instead of four, for books in the genre to go along with the monthly theme set by the genre the “Chatting with the Pros” guest author for the month. In February my guest author was nonfiction author Mark Shaw, so the February theme was nonfiction. My supporting author interview was with nature writer Susan J. Tweit and my supporting post was about my own nonfiction endeavor with the first post in my new bi-monthly series, “The Making of a Memoir“. My reviews were both of nonfiction books of different sub-genres: Mark Shaw’s How to Become a Published Author and a compilation of poetry artwork and writings about mental illness, the Letters of May anthology. […]
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A much needed book, Kaye! Discussion re. mental health is often shied away from as the signs & symptoms are often hidden or misunderstood, unlike physical illnesses.
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It is a subject not often touched on and often danced around. Most of us have dealt with at least one of the issues that are dealt with in this book. I commend the contributors for having the courage to stand up and share openly about their own lives.
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