This was the first book I read, on the advice of my psychiatrist, after being diagnosed with bipolar. My life was in shards and this book gave me comfort that I could rebuild it. It also gave me the sense that I was not alone.
One year post diagnosis, I re-read it to discover it is somewhat oversimplistic in it's summary of the illness and consequent social, mental and pharmacological effects. It also possibly even over-confident in terms of the return to 'normality' one can hope to achieve, though I admit it is early days for me.
But by goodness, I needed it's message then, I still need it today from time to time, when the going gets tough. It is a good book, a good start. Don't make this the only book you read, but please make it one of them.