Tuesday, February 16, 2016

The Lost Weekend by Charles Jackson

The Lost Weekend
by Charles Jackson

First published in 1944, The Lost Weekend by Charles Jackson is one of the most raw and unflinching portraits of mental unrest that I have ever read. It follows Don, an alcoholic with what I would say are bi-polar tendencies through a long weekend of binge drinking and inner turmoil when left alone by his brother Wick. We are given full access to his rampant thoughts and inward streams of consciousness and are taken on a roller coaster ride of emotion, seeing his highest narcissistic highs and lowest self-depreciating lows. It is beautifully, heart-wrenchingly written, with long and elegant prose. It is a semi-autobiographical novel that Jackson wrote for his wife, about a man who struggles with his past, grapples with his future, and turns to alcohol for solace. Readers who are looking for a happy resolution will not find that here, but if you desire a psychologically suspenseful, powerful, truly candid and thus certainly unforgettable read — look no further!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the Oscar-winning film adaptation of The Lost Weekend, directed by Billy Wilder and starring Ray Milland.]

[ Wikipedia page for The Lost Weekend (Novel) ]

Recommended by Marie M.
Gere Branch Library

Have you read this? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

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