Rex's Resource List Print
Written by Rex Dickens   

Offspring and Sibling Resources

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For those interested in reading about the experience of other offspring and siblings, I am presenting a partial listing of books that I have found of interest.

For other books with annotations, I refer you to the appendix of the book, Troubled Journey (out of print and available through libraries) or How to Cope with Mental Illness in Your Family (in print and available through a library or bookstore). Additional books, articles, and movies can be found in Anguished Voices listed in the two mentioned books.

Offspring (Personal accounts)


Daughter of the Queen of Sheiba (1997) Lyden
He was Still my Daddy (1994) Olson
The Outsider (2000) Lachenmeyer
Searching for Mercy Street (1994) Sexton
The Liars Club (1995) Karr
Johnny's Girl (1993) Rich
Rain or Shine (1986) McFadden
My Mother’s Keeper (1997) Holly
Millicent (1993) Collingsworth
Sweet Mystery (1996) Paterson
A Hole in the World (1990) Rhodes
Stormy (1986) Omartain
Mommie Dearest (1978) Crawford
Space (1998) Kercheval
By Her Own Hand (1991) Hammer

Siblings (Personal accounts)

Mad House (1998) Simon
Angelhead (2000) Bottoms
My Sister’s Keeper (1992) Moorman
Imagining Robert (1997) Neugeboren
The Four of Us (1991) Swados
Wake Me Up When It’s Over (1989) Blakely
The Tender Land (2000) Finnerman
I Know This Much is True (1998) Lamb
Haywire (1977) Hayward
If You Knew Me (1993) Roiphe

Offspring and Siblings (General)

Troubled Journey (1997) Marsh and Dickens
When Madness Comes Home (1998) Secunda
How To Cope With Mental Illness in Your Family (paperback version of Troubled Journey) (1997) Marsh and Dickens
The Skipping Stone (1995) Wasow
When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness (1992) Woolis
My Parent’s Keeper (1989) Brown
The Invulnerable Child (1987) Anthony

Young Readers:

My Sister From the Black Lagoon (1998) Fox
My Father the Nut Case (1992) Caseley
The Girl With the Crazy Brother (1987) Hyland
Annie’s Monster (1990) Corcoran
Crazy Quilt (1984) Riley
Only My Mouth is Smiling (1982) Riley
Anna and the Cat Lady (1992) Joosse
Don't Blame the Music (1986) Cooney
The Shell Lady’s Daughter (1983) Adler
The Keeper (1986) Naylor
The Falling-Apart Winner (1982) Smith

Youngest Readers (Picture Books)

My Sister, Then and Now (1992) Kroll
Tell Me a Story, Paint Me the Sun (1991) Chaplan
What About Me? When Brothers and Sisters Get Sick (1992) Peterkin
Please Don’t Cry, Mom (1994) Den Boer
Sad Days, Glad Days (1995) Hamilton
What Happened to Mommy (1994) Fran
Mommy One, Momma Two (1982) MacLachlan

There are quite a lot of books for teenagers and small children. I lapsed looking about 1997-98 and, no doubt, a number have been written since then. Some may be quite good. One would search a library catalog under: Mental Illness, Juvenile Fiction.

There are some movies about offspring and siblings. The best for offspring would begin with Twist and Shout (1986, Denmark) and for siblings, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) or Rain Man (1988).

I have more information., articles, and resources on the offspring and sibling experience for anyone with the interest and energy to format and post.
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Rex Dickens, coauthor of Troubled Journey (hard copy) or How to Cope With Mental Illness in Your Family (paperback version) as well as the monograph, Anguished Voices (1994), published by Boston University.

In addition to the highly recommended Anguished Voices (an 83 page monograph rather than a book), I would be remiss not to mention the Offspring Issue (1996) and Sibling Issue (1992) of The Journal published by NAMI of California.

Since I have recommended and made reference to the monograph, Anguished Voices, I will simplify, for those wishing to obtain a copy, how you may do so. Send a check or purchase order made payable to Boston University for $10.00 per copy plus $2.00 shipping/handling (international air shipping $5.00) to: Reprint Service, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 730 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Phone 617-353-3549 Fax: 617-353-7700.