A memoir dedicated to and about Emma's relationship with her psychiatrist, who helped her with her bipolar disease, self mutilation and attempted suicide, and then died of cancer without ever telling his patients or preparing them for his death. It's a compelling and quick read, though it's difficult to read about the cutting and other manic episodes. But it is also very funny in places, and touching.
The book deals a lot with Emma's relationships, mostly her boyfriends, but also her mother. The boyfriend relationship issues can get a little tedious, even though her boyfriends are celebrities. Emma is pretty much a celebrity in her own right, sort of famous for having dated Colin Farrell, who figures largely in the memoir, making the book feel a little like People Magazine at times. She's the author of three novels, two screenplays and this memoir, which put me in mind of Eat, Pray, Love (though Elizabeth Gilbert wasn't manic, I don't think, only depressed and getting over a bad marriage).
The best part of the memoir is the way Emma describes her relationship with her doctor, and how she gets over the setback of his death and abandonment of her and returns to health. Her epiphany regarding this at the end of the memoir is really quite moving. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. I found a YouTube interview interview with her about the book and it was interesting to see her and listen to her after I had finished reading.
