Nora Vincent and her Voluntary Madness

Voluntary Madness






Psychiatric ward

Remarkable ideas expose themselves in innumerable ways, but Norah Vincent came up with the inspiration for her latest novel in the most unexpected of environments, a psychiatric ward.



Depressive breakdown

Formerly a columnist for The Los Angeles Times, Vincent had a depressive breakdown whilst in the closing phase of research for her book, Self-Made Man.

"The experience entailed disguising myself and then living, dating, working and recreating as a man,'' Vincent said. ``I became a man, at least as far as the people around me knew, but of course I remained a woman, and that psycho-emotional contradiction in terms pulled me apart at the seams. . . .''

On her second day in the hospital, Vincent dreamed up the idea for her book, Voluntary Madness: My Year Lost and Found in the Loony Bin

Wow! The length some authors go to in researching their books never ceases to amaze me. I thought I'd dug deep holes whilst writing my own novel, but Nora .... She takes the crown.

My hat is off to you Ms. Vincent. Long may you entertain.

• Next post on Tell Me a Story - New Year.

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End of post - Nora Vincent and her Voluntary Madness

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