An Annotated Bibliography
by Dan Maldonado & Amy Sniadajewski
Unit on
The Cancer Poetry Project: Poems by Cancer
Patients and Those Who Love Them
authored and edited by Karin B. Miller
 Annotated
 This collection of nearly
250 poems is written by
cancer patients and
their spouses, family
members, doctors, and
friends. Various types of
cancers are mentioned
with various themes.
The book is broken
down into sections by
writer and by theme.
 Teaching Comment
 This collection is perfect for a
cancer unit because it has so
many different types of
cancers described, showing all
points of view. Middle and
high school students can relate
to these topics well. Each
student could pick a theme or
perspective, then choose a
poem, and share it creatively
with the rest of the class.
Miller, Karin B. The Cancer Poetry Project: Poems By Cancer Patients and
Those Who Love Them. Minneapolis, MN: Tasora, 2007. Print.
Can You Come Here Where I Am?:
The Poetry and Prose of Seven Breast Cancer Survivors
by Judy T. Klevins
 Teaching Comment
 These true stories give the
perspective of the cancer patient
that is suitable for students in
middle school or high school.
Females can relate to this topic
because they run the risk of
developing breast cancer. Males
might feel this book doesn’t apply
to their lives unless they have a
wife, which is unlikely in high
school. Students could pick one of
the chapters or poems and research
Klevins, Judy T. Can You Come Here
the theme in depth and give a
Where I Am?: The Poetry and Prose of
presentation individually or in
Seven Breast Cancer Survivors.
pairs.
Empr.1, 1998. Print.
 Annotated
 As the title states, this
collection of stories, a
little of 200 pages, tells the
stories of seven breast
cancer survivors through
poetry and prose. Each
chapter discusses a
different part of the battle
from diagnosis to
remission.
Cancer Vixen: A True Story
by Marisa Acocella Marchetto
 Teaching Comment
 Annotated
 This graphic novel is for a more
 This graphic novel of 224
mature audience so upper-level
pages tells the true story of
high school students would be
a breast cancer survivor,
best. Girls are more likely to
the author. She uses the
identify with it because of the
comics and humor to
female-oriented topics, but
show that her battle is
males who enjoy comic strips
serious but she can also
will also find it entertaining and
joke and laugh about it.
meaninful. A section of the class
Sarcasm is also used
could choose to read it within an
frequently to add to the
illness or perseverance themed
humor.
unit. Students could create their
own comic strips or skit to go
along with their understanding
Marchetto, Marisa Acocella. Cancer Vixen: A
of the story and how it relates to
True Story. New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday
their lives and difficult
Publishing Group, 2009. Print.
situations.
“Don’t Give Up,” Said Mom
by Christina Leigh Pritchard
 Teaching Comment
 As this novel is based on a real-life
situation, it is personal to many
students. The language is suitable
 Annotated
for students at the middle school
 In this novel of only 140 pages,
level. This could be taught to the
a teenage girl deals with her
entire class or as a literature circle
mother’s cancer, the absence
option. With a female narrator,
of her father, and the common
females are more likely to identify
teenage problems like best
well. Students could do diary
entries along with each chapter,
friends and boyfriends. It is a
which are quite short. With the
quick read with sad moments
diary entries, students would be
and a happy ending. It is
able to track their emotions
realistic and based on an event
throughout the novel.
Pritchard encountered when
Pritchard, Christina Leigh. "Don't Give Up," Said
she was 12-years-old.
Mom. Self-Publishing: CreateSpace, 2009. Print.
The Cancer Club
by Stephen R. Cox
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 In this novel, an ex-Army
 This fictional novel discusses
Special Forces agent finds out
the decision of what to do when
that he has terminal prostate
you have limited time left on
cancer. He has to figure out
Earth. Males who are into video
how he can make the rest of
games will especially be into this
his days worthwhile. He
action-packed story. Because of
chooses to do risky operations
violence, this novel is suitable
for the U.S. Military against
for mature upper-level high
dangerous terrorist
school audiences as a choice
organizations.
book. A writing idea would be to
have the readers write about
what they would do with their
Cox, Stephen R. The Cancer Club. Kindle by
Amazon, 2011.
time if they were diagnosed with
a terminal illness.
My Sister’s Keeper
by Jodi Picoult
 Annotated
 Both a novel and a movie,
My Sister’s Keeper tells the
story of a 13-year-old girl
who is expected to donate a
kidney to her sister who is
dying of leukemia. She
decides that she wants
medical emancipation,
because the surgery is both
risky for herself and for her
older sister, and hires a
lawyer to represent her case.
 Teaching Comment
 This very long fictional novel
would only be practical as a
choice novel, which females can
relate to very well. The content
and length of the novel makes it
a fit for students at the junior or
senior level. Students could write
about being “stuck between a
rock and hard place,” so to speak.
They could create a pros and
cons chart for the main
character, Anna. As for the
movie, clips could be shown, but
it doesn’t match the novel very
Picoult, Jodi. My Sister's Keeper. New York:
well or create the emotional
Atria, 2004. Print.
impact that the book does.
My Sister's Keeper. Dir. Nick Cassavetes. Perf. Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec
Baldwin and Sofia Vassilieva. Gran Via Productions, 2009. DVD.
A Walk to Remember
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 A Walk to Remember is
based on Nicholas Sparks’
 This heart-felt drama deals with
novel, Message in a
love and loss in a high school
Bottle, about a troublesetting, making it applicable to both
making high school boy
high school and middle school
and a Christian girl who
students. Males and females both
fall in love despite their
can relate to this movie with ease. It
differences. After falling
would be difficult to show only a
in love, the boy finds out
clip of this movie and have an
that the girl has cancer
emotional effect. Students could
and is no long responding
take a concept from the movie, such
to treatments.
as teen love, loss of a loved one,
juvenile delinquency, parent/child
A Walk to Remember. Dir. Adam
Shankman. Perf. Mandy Moore and Shane relationships, etc., and do a research
project/presentation on the topic
West. Warner Brothers, Inc., 2002. DVD.
(could be done individually or in
Sparks, Nicholas. Message in a Bottle.
pairs).
New York, NY: Warner, 1998. Print.
Stepmom
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 Stepmom is a heart-warming
 Students of middle school
and comedic movie about a
and high school level can
mother who has to deal with
relate to this story that deals
her terminal cancer, divorce,
with not only cancer, but
and the idea of a new woman
divorce which is a highly
being in the life of her excommon issue in the lives of
husband and her children. It
teenagers. Males and females
shows the perspective of the
both can associate with the
patient, the children, the
movie. The movie would
girlfriend/potential
need to be shown in its
stepmother, and the exentirety. Students could
husband.
write about a difficult issue
in their own lives in a journal
Stepmom. Dir. Chris Columbus. Perf. Julia
entry, poem, song, or short
Roberts, Susan Sarandon and Ed Harris.
Columbia Pictures, 1998. DVD.
story.
Brothers and Sisters
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 Season 4, Episode 8 of ABC’s
 This part of the show
hit family drama series
perfectly shows the reactions and
shows a husband seeing his
hardships of cancer and
wife, Kitty with lymphoma,
chemotherapy. Both males and
for the first time without
females of middle school or high
hair due to chemo. The
school level will find this clip
minute clip emphasizes true
meaningful because it discusses
beauty, love, and the
themes like beauty and personal
difficulties of chemotherapy.
appearance. It would be
(Because of copyright laws,
beneficial to show this short clip
one would have to own the
to the entire class. Students could
season or have internet
create a skit that deals with
access to YouTube in order
personal appearance and present
to view this clip.)
in front of the class.
Cooper, Sherri, and Michael Foley. "The Wine Festival." Brothers and Sisters.
ABC. Los Angeles, CA, 15 Nov. 2009. YouTube.com. ABC. Web. 5 May 2011.
South Park
 Teaching Comment
 Annotated
 Though this clip is short, it is a good
 This eleven second clip from
add-in for a cancer or humor unit. It
South Park gives a comical
shows students that humor can be used
twist to finding out about
in very difficult situations, even finding
cancer. You may find this clip
out about prostate cancer. Because this
on YouTube when searching
clip is from a controversial program, it
for “South Park Cancer.”
would be best to show a mature class of
high school students. As an activity,
students could create a silly dialogue
that deals with a difficult situation that
includes humor.
"A Way to React to Cancer." South Park. Comedy Central.
YouTube.com. Icarlos0, 20 Apr. 2010. Web. 5 May 2011.
“Skin (Sara Beth)” by Rascal Flatts
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 This 5 min 30 sec song tells the
story of a high school girl who
is diagnosed with cancer and
has to go through
chemotherapy. While she goes
through the chemo, she thinks
about her love for dance. By the
end of the song, she ends up at
the prom dancing with her
boyfriend who decided to shave
his head as well so that she is
comfortable at the dance.
(Click on speaker image to play
when in Slide Show mode.)
 Extremely powerful and moving, this
country/pop song is relatable by any
age, but very much so for teenagers
in middle and high school. Both
genders can identify with the song
and the prom aspect. This would be
good for an entire class to listen to
when introducing a cancer unit.
Students could easily write about the
song itself or about other difficulties
in their personal lives as teenagers.
LeVox, Gary, Jay DeMarcus, and
Joe Don Rooney. "Skin (Sara
Beth)." Rascal Flatts Greatest Hits.
Rascal Flatts. Lyric Street Records,
2008. MP3.
“Cancer” by My Chemical Romance
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 With more of an
 This 2 min 30 sec song tells
alternative/rock feel, this song is
the cancer patient’s point of
extremely emotional, but
view when it is already too
appropriate for middle or high
late for a cure. The patient
school level. It is a fitting
supplement to any cancer unit,
describes the pain that
with an entire class, and shows
he/she is going through with
the perspective of a cancer
the chemotherapy and
patient very well. Students
knowing that he/she is dying.
could write about the hardest
Very emotional, he sings,
thing they’ve ever had to face,
whether it be serious like cancer
“The hardest part is leaving
or mildly comical.
you.” (Click on video to play
song when in Slide Show
My Chemical Romance. "Cancer."
The Black Parade. Reprise Records,
mode.)
2006. MP3.
Cancer Statistics, 2010
Ahmedin Jemal, DVM, PhD, Rebecca Siegel, MPH, Jiaquan Xu, MD and
Elizabeth Ward, PhD
 Annotated
 This article issued by the American
Cancer Society reports the statistics
of all types of cancers from the year
2010. It ranges from diagnoses to
remissions.
 Teaching Comment
 Statistics show just how many people
are affected by different types of cancer
in the United States. The material is
appropriate for both high school and
middle school level students who are
interested in the topic. This information
is good for students who are interested
in using statistics for a research project.
Every year the statistics are updated, so
students are teachers alike will be able
to find the most recent information, the
previous year.
Jemal, Ahmedin, et al. "Cancer
Statistics, 2010." Cancer Journal
for Clinicians (2010).
Ebscohost. Web. 5 May 2011.
“Cigarettes’ double whammy”
by Rachel Meltzer
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
2006 proves that cigarettes
 A teacher could show this article
cause lung cancer and also
to middle school or high school
block chemotherapy from
level students, male and female,
working to diminish/destroy
to show the risks that nicotine has
cancer cells. She explains
on the body. Middle school level
how some cancer patients
students are beginning to
believe since they already
experience peer pressure. From a
have developed lung cancer
health standpoint, this article is
that smoking won’t inhibit
beneficial to people of any age.
progress any further, so
Students could include this
essentially the patient could
information in a health unit in a
continue to smoke.
presentation format or a short
story, fiction or non-fiction.
Meltzer, Rachel.
 This scientific article from
"Cigarettes' Double
Whammy." Prevention
58.8 (2006): 44. Print.
Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do
by Greg Anderson
 Teaching Comment
 Annotated
 Students at a high school level will
 This novel, just over 200
understand the terminology in
pages, discusses the
this book more easily than middle
steps to take when
school level students. This book
diagnosed with cancer.
would be helpful to suggest to
It tells of how to
students if they have a personal
proceed with doctors,
issue with cancer to deal with
your life, your
outside of school. It’s not a good
treatments, and your
book to incorporate within a unit
emotions.
unless a specific student is doing
some type of research project.
Anderson, Greg. Cancer: 50 Essential
Things to Do. New York, NY: Plume,
2009. Print.
The Emperor of All Maladies:
A Biography of Cancer
by Siddhartha Mukherjee
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 In nearly 600 pages, the
 With an extremely long nonnovel describes the history,
fiction novel like this, it would be
the science, the treatment,
impossible to teach the entire
and the philosophy behind
book in a classroom. It will be a
cancer. Within the
good reference for students that
biography, controversies,
are looking for the facts for a
death, survival, morality,
research project or simply out of
etc., are main topics. This
personal curiosity. As a teacher,
gives a modern look to where
one could recommend this book
we have come as a human
to a student who has a personal
race and where we need to
issue dealing with cancer or
get to in order to conquer the
suggest it for a science class or
ongoing battle with cancer.
project.
Mukherjee, Siddhartha. The Emperor of All Maladies:
A Biography of Cancer. Kindle by Amazon.
Unit on
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
by Ken Kesey
 Annotated
 In this 1962 classic novel, Ken
Kesey tells the story of a mental
ward and its inhabitants. The tale
is chronicled by Chief Bromden, a
seemingly mute Indian patient.
The story mainly focuses on
Randle Patrick McMurphy, the
proclaimed schizophrenic who
challenges the rule of Big Nurse
and encourages the other patients
to rebel alongside him. This novel
was adapted into a film in 1975 by
Milos Forman and won all five
major Academy Awards. Randle
McMurphy is played by Jack
Nicholson.
 Teaching Comment
 Because of the maturity level
of this novel, it would best fit
high school students. The
novel’s length is not
excessive, so it could be
taught as either a unit piece
or as a choice in a lit. circle.
The power of narration is
very important throughout
the novel. Students could
narrate the events in the
novel through the
perspective of McMurphy
rather than Chief Bromden;
showing them the power of a
narrator has in literature.
Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a Novel. New York:
Viking, 1962. Print.
A Beautiful Mind
by Sylvia Nasar
 Annotated
 Teaching Comment
 This biography written by Sylvia
Nasar tells the story of John
Nash, a mathematical genius.
John became a legend by age
thirty for his mathematical
theories, but also slipped into
madness and became a frantic
schizophrenic. Through his
trials and tribulations, he
emerges decades after his
downfall to becoming a Nobel
Prize winner. This biography
was the inspiration of a film
starring Russell Crowe as Nash.
Nasar, Sylvia. A Beautiful Mind: a Biography of
John Forbes Nash, Jr., Winner of the Nobel Prize
in Economics, 1994. New York, NY: Simon &
Schuster, 1998. Print.
 Because of the extreme length of
this novel, it could not be used
in a lesson plan for an entire
class. The movie would fit into a
lesson plan focusing on mental
illness better because of its
length and in depth explanation.
The movie (or novel as a
classroom library set) would be
suitable for high school students
of any age. Students can use
John Nash’s story of
perseverance and explain an
event in their life when they had
to overcome extreme adversity
to accomplish something.
A Beautiful Mind. Dir. Ron Howard.
Perf. Russell Crowe and Jennifer
Connelly. Universal Pictures, 2001.
Sybil
by Flora Rheta Schreiber
 Annotated
 Flora Rheta Schreiber tells the
true story of Sybil Dorsett, a
young woman who suffered
from an extreme case of
multiple personality disorder.
Psychoanalyst Cornelia Wilbur
treats Sybil and tries to discover
where these personalities have
come from. Through her many
sessions with Sybil she unlocks
her mind and comes to discover
Sybil’s dark past with her mother
that has triggered this illness.
This story was made into two
films, most notably in 1976
starring Sally Field as Sybil.
 Teaching Comment
 The length of Sybil is extremely
long so this is not recommended
as a novel to teach an entire
class. This novel contains many
crude and detailed sexual events
so it is only suitable for mature
high school students. This
would be a good novel to have in
a classroom library. It could be
recommended to students who
are curious about multiple
personality disorders. Because
this would be used as an
individual reading choice, an
extensive journal comparing
Sybil’s personalities would
suffice.
Schreiber, Flora Rheta. Sybil: the True Story of a Woman Possessed by
Sixteen Separate Personalities. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1973. Print
Fight Club
by Chuck Palahnuk
 Annotated
 This 1996 novel tells the story of an
unnamed protagonist struggling
with insomnia. He finds relief by
pretending to be an ill person in
several different support groups.
Then he meets a man named Tyler
Durden and together they form an
underground fighting club. The
club becomes a nationwide
phenomenon overnight. The novel
really hits a twist when the unnamed
protagonist discovers he has a
multiple personality disorder and
that he and Tyler Durden are the
same person. This novel was
adapted to film in 1999 starring
Edward Norton as the unnamed
protagonist and Brad Pitt as Tyler
Durden.
 Teaching Comment
 This novel could be taught to high
school students interested with
schizophrenia and other mental
illnesses. Because of its length, it
could be taught in a lit. circle or to
an entire classroom. Narration is
again a key part of this novel. A two
person group activity could be done
with this novel. Because there are
two separate narratives going on
throughout the novel (the actual
narrative of the story the innerthoughts of the narrator. One
student could read the actual
narrative while the other
simultaneously narrates the inner
thoughts. This will emphasize the
power of narrative to the students.
Palahniuk, Chuck. Fight Club. New York: W.W. Norton &, 1996. Print.
Inside Out
by Terry Trueman
 Annotated
 Inside Out is a short fiction
novel about a 16 year old boy
named Zach Wahhsted who
suffers with schizophrenia.
The story begins when he and
a few others are taken hostage
by two teens attempting to rob
a coffee shop. Zach, long
overdue without medication,
begins to hear hateful voices in
his head and has difficulty
processing reality. Although
Zach is viewed as a hero after
this ordeal, months later he
becomes a victim to his illness;
concluding with Zach’s
suicide.
 Teaching Comment
 This novel’s short length
allows it to be taught to an
entire classroom in a unit
focusing on mental illness.
Although it is short in length,
suicide may be too
controversial of a subject for
any grade level under the 9th
grade. Students could use this
novel as a stepping stone for a
research project that focuses
on the affects schizophrenia
has on teenage individuals.
Trueman, Terry. Inside Out.
New York: HarperCollins,
2003. Print.
I Never Promised
You a Rose Garden
by Joanne Greenburg
 Annotated
 This semi-autobiographical
novel tells the story of 16 year
old Deborah who suffers
from schizophrenia. The
voices in her head cause her
to isolate herself from the
rest of society. With her
parents’ difficult consent, she
is admitted to a mental
institution where she spends
three years trying to
overcome this illness.
 Teaching Comment
 This novel is somewhat
lengthy and would better suit
a classroom library and be
available for anyone to read
by choice. Its length would
suggest this novel be part of a
high school classroom
library. Because the narrator
is female, female students
could identify and
sympathize with a teen who
feels that she can’t fit in.
Students could write an essay
about times they have felt
they could never fit in.
Greenberg, Joanne. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden,. New York: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, 1964. Print.
Humming Whispers
by Angela Johnson
 Annotated
 Humming Whispers is a
fiction novel that tells the
story of Sophy, a 14 year old
girl with a sister who has
schizophrenia. Now that
Sophy is older she fears she
will soon begin to develop
symptoms of this disease
that plagues her sister.
Through this story Sophy
understands the illness to a
higher extent and begins to
support her sister with her
struggles.
 Teaching Comment
 This novel is very short and
can be taught in a middle
school or high school
classroom. Although Sophy’s
sister has schizophrenia, the
major theme focuses on
family and helping others
persevere. Students could
write an essay telling about a
person in their lives who has
either stood by them in a
time of need, or who they
have helped through a rough
experience..
Johnson, Angela. Humming Whispers. New York: Orchard, 1995. Print.
The Soloist
by Steve Lopez
 Annotated
 The Soloist is the true story of
journalist Steve Lopez and his
unusual friendship with Nathaniel
Ayers. Ayers is a former student of
Julliard where he was known for
his classical bass skills. Ayers
dropped out when he began to
hear voices in his head. Lopez
discovers Ayers on the street
playing a two-string violin, and
decides to write about him in the
L.A. Times. Through this all he
discovers Ayers has schizophrenia;
this sparks Lopez’s unusual desire
to help Ayers in any way he can. A
film was made in 2009 starring
Robert Downey Jr. as Steve Lopez
and Jamie Foxx as Nathaniel Ayers.
 Teaching Comment
 This novel is a heartwarming tale
of friendship that can be taught to
middle school or high school
students as either a classroom unit
or a lit. circle book. Because of the
length of the novel, I would
recommend clips from the movie
be shown alongside the novel.
Students could research
homelessness in America and how
schizophrenia is often a main
cause of homelessness.
Lopez, Steve. The Soloist: a Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the
Redemptive Power of Music. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2008. Print
South Park
Butters’ Mental Problems
 Annotated
 This short clip from South Park
comically addresses the many
skepticisms revolving around the
treatments used on schizophrenic
patients. Butters has been diagnosed
with dementia and schizophrenia and
the hospital wishes to perform
outrageous tests in order to
understand his illness.
 Teaching Comment
 This clip is rather short and may
be seen by many as
inappropriate, but it shows how
ridiculous past methods of
treating and analyzing
schizophrenia was. Because of
the maturity level of this clip, it
can only be used for upper
classman in high school.
Students could research the
methods used on schizophrenic
patients in the past and compare
them to methods used today.
Kampanis, Greg. "Butters' Mental Problems (Season 9, Episode 6) - Video Clips South Park Studios." South Park Studios. Comedy Central, 2010. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/154950/butters-mental-problems>.
Me, Myself, and Irene
 Annotated
 This 2000 comedy starring
Jim Carrey tells the story of
Charlie, a Rhode Island State
Policeman. Charlie is taken
advantage of by everyone in
his life. Despite being an
officer, citizens don’t respect
his authority because of his
pushover lifestyle. After his
anger builds up, Charlie
develops another personality
named Hank. Hank is rude,
violent, and everything
Charlie is not.
 Teaching Comment
 Because of this movie’s adult
content, it can only be
recommend as a source in a
high school lesson plan. The
movie would have to be
viewed in its entirety because
of the ongoing portrayal of a
multiple personality
disorder. Students could
write an essay about a time in
their lives when they felt they
were turning into someone
entirely different then
themselves.
Me, Myself & Irene (Special Edition). Dir. Bobby Farrelly. Perf. Jim Carrey, Renée
Zellweger, Anthony Anderson. 20th Century Fox, 2000. DVD.
A Blue So Dark
by Holly Schindler
 Annotated
 This novel tells the story of 15
year old girl named Aura
Ambrose. She has been
hiding a secret from many
people; her mom, Grace, is
an art teacher who struggles
with schizophrenia. As her
mother fades from art, Aura
begins to realize the power
art has and soon begins to
use art to help her connect
with her mother.
 Teaching Comment
 This novel is a little lengthy,
but could still be used as a lit.
circle novel or as a choice on
a classroom library. Because
of the family oriented
message in this novel, it
could be taught to middle
school or high school
students. Students could
write about a time when
something greater than
themselves helped them
overcome differences with
Schindler, Holly. A Blue So Dark.
someone important in their
Woodbury, MN: Flux, 2010.
lives (whether it be art,
music, religion, etc.)
Print.
Living on the Edge of Madness
by Sonny Kramer and Linda Wakeman
 Annotated
 Living on the Edge of
Madness tells the story of
Sonny Kramer and Linda
Wakeman. Sonny has been
married to Linda for 20 years
and has had to deal with her
bipolar disorder for the same
amount of time. He explains
at times she is a beautiful
and loving woman, but at
others she is a woman of
deceit and madness.
Through it all, Sonny sticks
by Linda’s side and helps her
through her troubling illness.
 Teaching Comment
 Because this novel is based
on a real life relationship, it
can be comparable to many
people’s lives. This could be
used as a Lit. Circle novel or
could be taught to the entire
class on a unit about bipolar
disorder. Students could
keep a journal while reading
the novel and compare the
emotions they had during
intense scenes in the novel
that showed the dark sides of
bipolar disorder.
Kramer, Sonny, and Linda Wakeman. Living on the Edge of Madness: a
Bipolar Reality. Ocala, FL: York Shire Pub. House, 2006. Print.
Girl, Interrupted
by Susanna Kaysen
 Annotated
 In this memoir by Susanna
Kaysen, she explains her
teenage years in a mental
institution where she has
been diagnosed with
borderline personality
disorder. Through her time
in the McLean Mental
Hospital, Susanna recalls
events with her fellow
patients and the aids that
keep them in check. This
memoir was also made into a
highly praised film starring
Winona Ryder as Kaysen.
Kaysen, Susanna. Girl, Interrupted. New
York: Turtle Bay, 1993. Print.
 Teaching Comment
 Since this novel is based on
actual events in Susanna
Kaysen’s life, it can be very
relatable to many teenagers.
The content of this memoir is
mature and because the events
are in non-chronological order,
it is suitable for students at the
high school level. Students
could keep track of the events in
a journal throughout their
readings. As a final project they
could come up with their own
conclusion on why Kaysen chose
to relate these events in this
order and how it affects their
understanding of the entirety of
the novel.
Manic: A Memoir
by Terri Cheney
 Annotated
 In this memoir by Terri
Cheney, she describes what it
was like to have bipolar
disorder while struggling to
maintain her career as a
highly successful Beverly
Hills entertainment lawyer.
She explains her struggles of
concealing medication from
clients and moments of
unarticulated madness.
These events encompass her
message of perseverance
through a tormenting illness.
 Teaching Comment
 This memoir can be used in a
unit that also uses Girl,
Interrupted to comment on
the bipolar disorder and how
women of all ages deal with
this devastating illness. This
memoir could be used in
either a Lit. Circle, class
lesson, or individual reading
for high school students.
Both memoirs of Manic and
Girl, Interrupted could be
used for a comparative
project that compares Terri
Cheney’s experiences to
Susanna’s.
Cheney, Terri. Manic: A Memoir. New York: William Morrow, 2008. Print.
Rewind, Replay, Repeat
by Jeff Bell
 Annotated
 Jeff Bell’s memoir tells of his
struggle to maintain a
normal life with Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder. He
describes how normal day to
day experiences became part
of his never ending cycle of
rituals due to this anxiety
disorder. Bell explains OCD
in full circle; the early signs
of this devastating disorder
to the long and difficult
times of therapy and healing.
 Teaching Comment
 This memoir of OCD can be
used in a high school setting
in a unit that focuses on
illness or disorders such as
OCD. Jeff Bell explains this
disorder in great detail, but
also explains it in a
sometimes comical
viewpoint. Students could
create a scrapbook that
explains each of Jeff Bell’s
“rituals throughout the
memoir, as well as explain
how he justified each of
them due to his OCD.
Bell, Jeff. Rewind, Replay, Repeat: a Memoir of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Center City, MN: Hazelden, 2007. Print.