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
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