Surviving Schizophrenia by E. Fuller Torrey, MD.

This is an accessible guide to schizophrenia that can serve as a reference book and general overview. It includes information on current research, medications, available services, and theories of the cause of schizophrenia. It provides a guide to resources for consumers, families, and friends. The book is a good introduction and a handy reference for consumers and those who care for and about them.

Coping With Schizophrenia: A Guide for Families by Kim T. Mueser, Ph.D., and Susan Gingerich, M.S.W. New Harbinger Publications: Oakland, CA, 1994, 342 pages.
A reference for families. It is specifically intended for people who care for someone with schizophrenia. It contains a wealth of information about the illness, treatment, and the many concerns of families who care for someone with schizophrenia. Particularly useful are the "workbook" pages that are incorporated with the text.

When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness: A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers by Rebecca Woolis, M.F.C.C.
Another reference for families and friends of those with mental illness. It is more general in its orientation, focusing on broad, basic principles for dealing with a relative or friend with a chronic, severe mental illness. It is less imposing than "Surviving Schizophrenia." It includes practical guides on a variety of topics, from "Worksheet for Dealing with Your Anger and Frustration" to "Dealing With Mental-Health Professionals and Facilities". This reference is intended for anyone who cares about or for someone with a severe mental illness.

Is There No Place on Earth for Me? by Susan Sheehan.
A well-known and sobering account of the experiences of a person with schizophrenia as documented by a fine writer. It first appeared in The New Yorker.
9 Highland Road by Michael Winerip
An account of the life and lives of a group home for the mentally ill, including the residents, their families, and the caregivers with whom they work.

The Eden Express by Mark Vonnegut
An autobiographical account of the psychotic experiences of Kurt Vonnegut's son, who went on to study and practice medicine. It begins with his college graduation in 1969.

Schizophrenia as a Human Process by Harry Stack Sullivan
Of historical interest, this book presents the humanistic, psychodynamically oriented view of a great psychiatrist writer. It has limited practical interest.

Schizophrenia by Thomas Szasz.
A dissenting view by the famous anti-psychiatry psychiatrist.

Recovery from Schizophrenia: Psychiatry and Political Economy by Richard Warner, Second Edition, Routledge, New York, New York: 1994.
This book examines the effect of social class, economics, and politics on the incidence and course of schizophrenia. It employs a materialist theoretical approach.

Making It Crazy by Sue Estroff
This ethnography of psychiatric consumers in Madison, Wisconsin provides the valuable perspectives of an anthropologist on the issues confronting people with mental illness who live in a community setting.

The Quiet Room by Lori Schiller and Amanda Bennett
An account of the experiences of a young woman diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder and her family members. It covers a period of several years, from the time Ms. Schiller first experienced symptoms of her illness, through her many hospitalizations, to her eventual recovery. This book gives a human voice and face to descriptions of the illness and would be helpful for all who are seeking to understand better the experience of a psychotic disorder and of caring for someone who has it.

VIDEOTAPES
"Uncertain Journey: Families Coping with Serious Mental Illness", 45 minutes, 1995. Duke University School of Medicine, Division of Audiovisual Education.

"Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia," 1995. Nancy Andreason, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Mental Health Clinical Research Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.