Hidden Valley Road
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Hidden Valley Road
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Narrated by:
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Sean Pratt
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By:
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Robert Kolker
About this listen
12 children.
6 of them diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Science's greatest hope in understanding the disease.
One of Barack Obama's Favourite Books of 2020
TIME 100 Must-Read Books Of 2020 Pick
New York Times best seller
Selected as Oprah's Book Club Pick
For fans of Educated, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Three Identical Strangers.
Don and Mimi Galvin seemed to be living the American dream. After World War II, Don's work with the Air Force brought them to Colorado, where their 12 children perfectly spanned the baby boom: the oldest born in 1945, the youngest in 1965. In those years, there was an established script for a family like the Galvins - aspiration, hard work, upward mobility, domestic harmony - and they worked hard to play their parts. But behind the scenes was a different story: psychological breakdown, sudden shocking violence, hidden abuse. By the mid-1970s, six of the 10 Galvin boys, one after the other, were diagnosed as schizophrenic. How could all this happen to one family?
What took place inside the house on Hidden Valley Road was so extraordinary that the Galvins became one of the first families to be studied by the National Institutes of Mental Health. Their story offers a shadow history of the science of schizophrenia, from the era of institutionalisation, lobotomy and the schizophrenogenic mother, to the search for genetic markers for the disease, always amidst profound disagreements about the nature of the illness itself. And unbeknownst to the Galvins, samples of their DNA informed decades of genetic research that continues today, offering paths to treatment, prediction and even eradication of the disease for future generations.
With clarity and compassion, bestselling and award-winning author Robert Kolker uncovers one family's unforgettable legacy of suffering, love and hope.
©2020 Robert Kolker (P)2020 Penguin AudioCritic Reviews
"Hidden Valley Road contains everything: scientific intrigue, meticulous reporting, startling revelations and, most of all, a profound sense of humanity. It is that rare book that can be read again and again." (David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon)
"An extraordinary case study and tour de force of reporting." (Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind)
"This book tore my heart out. It is a revelation-about the history of mental health treatment, about trauma, foremost about family and a more-than-worthy follow-up to Robert Kolker's brilliant Lost Girls." (Megan Abbott, Edgar Award-winning author of Dare Me and Give Me Your Hand)
What listeners say about Hidden Valley Road
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Megan Hales
- 25-02-2021
Fantastic Read and definitely recommend
I have worked in the mental health sector for over 10 years and thought I would struggle listening to this book, but I couldn’t put it down. Insight into this families life... wow!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 30-11-2020
Couldn't stop listening
A revelation in terms of subject matter and a deeply gripping read. Even my partner, only hearing snippets around the house, would stop to sit and listen for half an hour at a time because it was just so fascinating and excellently written. You really have to read this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 10-07-2023
Very well told and narrated
I have no abiding interest in schizophrenia but was engaged throughout this story. The author is a wonderful listener and has captured a lot of what the members of this family had felt. A rewarding listen.
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- Andy
- 28-03-2021
Incredible
Absolutely incredible, groundbreaking, heartbreaking and hopeful. I'm still amazed at how such a long book held my attention. Rekindled my interest in mental health's relationship to physiological health. very grateful for this book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- LONNA
- 26-01-2021
Very interesting story
Congratulations to the author for making this heavy subject matter interesting and a must listen to.
The story? A chance roll of the dice!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 26-06-2020
Fascinating insight
As a mental health professional this book has been educational as well as inspiring. Excellent!
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- Ajanta Judd
- 17-06-2020
Fabulous, Well Researched & Insightful!
I was rivetted - loved it. Want more!
Think I will purchase the book for the bibliography
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- Anonymous User
- 01-07-2022
Incredible book
Such an unbelievably tragic story. Can definitely recommend. Great book and narration it’s incredible that it’s non fiction
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- katrina
- 28-04-2020
excellent all around
This book is a really great work and not only informative but completely heart and soul influenced
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- Anonymous User
- 03-05-2021
Fascinating read
Really couldn't put this book down. Learnt so much about one family's harrowing experiences and also their contribution to understanding the truly devasting effects of schizophrenia. Excellent narration.
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