Author Description

Many biographies of people with mental illness seem to dwell primarily on the feeling of hopelessness, and they keep expectations for the sufferer's future low. With this autobiography, Mr. Jiang attempts to turn the tables on this litany of sorrow. He shows himself as a result of the miracles that modern medicine can produce. He went from being a basket case to a respected, technologically-savvy medical librarian working at a world-renowned research institution.People who recommend this book include schizophrenia expert Dr. Lieberman:A talented ambitious young student is afflicted by the most dread mental illness in the prime of his life. This first person account describes this all to common occurrence but what is unique is how he reacts to this adversity and his courageous and successful journey to recovery. Will Jiang's impressive and moving story is reminiscent of other similar first person accounts of personal struggle and triumph over mental illness including Elyn Saks' The Center Cannot Hold and Temple Grandin's Thinking In Pictures: and Other Reports from My Life with Autism. Will's story will be similarly informative and inspirational to everyone who has the good fortune to read it.Jeffrey Lieberman, M.D.President, American Psychiatric AssociationLawrence E. Kolb Professor and ChairmanDepartment of PsychiatryColumbia University College of Physicians and SurgeonsDirector of the New York State Psychiatric InstituteIn "A Schizophrenic Will," William Jiang tells a riveting and compelling story about his struggles with schizophrenia and his emergence at the other end with a good and productive and gratifying professional and personal life. He also gives advice to other consumers, e.g. on navigating college, and who knows better than someone who's lived through it himself? Jiang's story should help people understand what schizophrenia is like and in the process destigmatize an illness that is badly in need of destigmatization.Elyn Saks, J.D., Ph.D. USC Gould Sch