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Abe Lincoln could never be elected President today, let alone have a Herculean monument to his Greatness on the DC Mall around the corner from Foggy Bottom. In early 20th Century America, we neither "do" complexity, nor imperfection. And, we know that nearly all the far right, and many "Moderates" still view Depression, -- any Mental illness as a "Character Flaw," Many of us correctly view it as an illness, but still "disqualifying" for our highest office. In the case of the "Family Values" Evangelical types, illness is "God's Punishment," a superstitious and cruel Old Testament notion. So, Lincoln, LBGT, "lazy" welfare minorities and immigrants (President Obama serves as the Right's proxy for this group), any depressed or moderately mentally ILL person could never be President today. Mediocrity, painful lack of talent wisdom, and sound judgement always trumps [no pun] it's opposite, -- aka Abraham Lincoln ! This is not only the biography of America's greatest hero President. It is the story of the dichotomy gift curse of Depression. Through Lincoln, the author takes us through his 2 suicide attempts early in life, a lost love, bizarre, toxic ineffective 19th Century "anti-depressive" meds (Mercury !), Lincoln's deepest valleys of hopelessness, and anguish that was actually the metal of his Greatness. I'm not a big fan of "Psychological History, but, the author suggests soundly that depressed folks seem to be really good at developing problem -solving skills, perceive the present "Mindfully." "Mindfullness" is a skill suggested by Cognitive Behavioral Therapists, whereby we embrace our presence as a skill set to thwart the automatic thinking that generates our hopelessness and helplessness, paralyzes us in our pall of depression. EVERY DEPRESSED PERSON WITH AN INTEREST IN HISTORY MUST READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE YOU ARE BOTH DEPRESSED AND BLESSED. This sounds strange, counter-intuitive to be sure. Yet, it's true. Arguably, if it were not for "Lincoln's Melancholy," he might not have brought us through the labyrinth of the Civil War, crafted a viable Reconstruction, that he never lived to see. Lincoln left us too soon. So, we got Jim Crow, right wing de facto neo-Confederate secession by right wingers that persists in 2015 ! Any of us suffering from Depression would gladly surrender even part of it for some semblance of "normality," a life of occasional sunlight in our lives sans the medications, and talk therapy, the despair of it all. Yet, in reading this book, I considered what we would be giving up as "Normal." Maybe our problem-solving abilities, creativity, "mindfulness" goes away in our wellness. Each of us must consider if it is worth it. This book helps us with the conundrum.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Interesting history.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
it gave me insight into my depression and hope for my productivity in the world despite it. I dound its content to be revealing and inspiring.
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