
Examined Lives
Roberta Reb Allen(Author)
Archway Publishing
Published on 23. July 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
308 pages
978-1-4808-6320-0 (ISBN)
Description
Gretchen Richard was a vivacious, competent woman who moved to Chicago on her twentieth birthday and began her rise in the hospitality industry. In her off hours, she devoured the nightlife with a string of young swain who wanted to marry her. But in 1950 after she had already become a wife and mother, everything changed for Gretchen when Dr. Walter Freeman pronounced her a paranoid schizophrenic on a Friday and performed a lobotomy the following Monday, robbing her of her drive and sparkle forever.
In a compelling memoir and family history, Roberta Reb Allen shares a fascinating glimpse into her mother, Gretchen's, journey before, during, and after the lobotomy as she was adjudged insane and institutionalized for periods of time. Utilizing family letters, diaries, scrapbooks, medical records, an unpublished novel, poetry, photographs, and the writings of Walter Freeman, Allen sheds light on the effects the lobotomy had on her mother and herself as well as the societal and familial forces that fostered their mental illnesses, all while giving a long-awaited voice to the female patient whose lobotomy was completely unnecessary.
Examined Lives provides a candid look at mental illness while offering hope for overcoming even the most debilitating psychological conditions with the right kind of support.
More details
Language
English
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
449 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4808-6320-0 (9781480863200)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Person
Roberta Reb Allen graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA and MA in history. She spent most of her professional career as a curriculum writer, authoring works on a wide variety of topics. Now retired, Allen resides in Chicago and Albuquerque with her dog, Hayden. For more about her and her work, visit her at
www.examininglives.com.