He Wanted the Moon by Mimi Baird

     This book was very interesting and heartbreaking.  Dr. Perry Baird was a brilliant man, doctor, husband and father. He was also a prisoner of his mental illness.  When the author was six years old her father was institutionalized and never lived with the family again.  After decades of living her life, the author starts thinking about her father, gets some info from her cousin and her journey begins.

     Finding out your father suffered from manic depression probably isn't a good thing to hear, but to read his own words as he suffered from the episodes is a completely different thing. He was trying to publish a book on his illness, but I think it was a gift to his daughter, filling in some of the blank spaces she had.  Even if it is a terrible story.

     As her first book, I think the author did a wonderful job of telling a very personal story.   I wish Dr. Baird had been able to benefit from Lithium, and like the author indicates, there's really no telling what her father would have accomplished.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."