Book Review

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family

Robert Kolker’s book, Hidden Valley Road, is a distinct work in the midst of an upsurge in books about serious mental illness. He chronicles the events and transformation of a 1960’s family with twelve children, producing six boys with schizophrenia. To be clear: The mother had no idea some of her children had mental illness until after they were all born. Decades later, the family members’ contribution to medical research through their DNA and surviving documentation of their treatment, will no doubt help assist in a greater understanding of this disabling brain disorder and perhaps more effective medications.

Other siblings and twins with schizophrenia have also contributed to these long term studies, but the Galvins were certainly significant with six ill children in one family and a father who kept his own illness hidden for the most part.

Most books I have read to date about schizophrenia were written by either a family member as a memoir, by the person possessing the illness, or a psychiatric professional.  Hidden Valley Road is different in that the author is not related to his subjects, but did meticulous research on their history and personally interviewed some of the surviving family members.

In its documentary style, simultaneous story lines run through the book, with vignettes about each child’s descent into mental illness, their parents mixed feelings and reactions, the type of treatment they received or lack of it. Cast over the entire narrative are dark family secrets and tragedies, overwhelming guilt and denial emanating from each family member to varying degrees. There are brothers with no insight into their illness (Anosognosia), which is part of the illness itself, similar to having dementia.

There is understandable denial by the parents about the severity of what is happening to their children and we have both denial and justifiable resentment from the two sisters and four other brothers who did not get the nurturing they needed because their parents were too busy putting out fires. More so than other books I have read, this one puts front and center the devastating effect on siblings who are not mentally ill, but nonetheless traumatized by growing up in close proximity to so much psychosis, violence and chaos.

As a mother with a son who has schizophrenia, the story validates our family trauma as I am sure it will for others. It also gives me hope that new medical breakthroughs can be achieved in the near future through many of the personal and professional sacrifices made by those who came before us. That said, it is also very unsettling to read how some aspects of serious mental illness, stigma and obstacles in funding and research persist to this day; disturbing issues which have not changed much in fifty years.

This book will be fascinating and informative for a reader who has not been touched personally by mental illness, but particularly meaningful for those who do have mental illness in their families.