All the Things We Never Knew: Chasing the Chaos of Mental Illness

Even as a reporter, Sheila Hamilton missed the signs as her husband David's mental illness unfolded before her. By the time she had pieced together the puzzle, it was too late. Her once brilliant, intense, and hilarious partner was dead within six weeks of a formal diagnosis of bipolar disorder, leaving his nine-year-old daughter and wife without so much as a note to explain his actions, a plan to help them recover from their profound grief, or a solution for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt that they would inherit from him. All the Things We Never Knew takes listeners from David and Sheila's romance through the last three months of their life together and into the year after his death. It details their unsettling descent from ordinary life into the world of mental illness and examines the fragile line between reality and madness. Now, a decade after David's death, Sheila and her daughter, Sophie, have learned the power of choosing life over retreat, let themselves love and trust again, and understand the importance of forgiveness. Their story will resonate with all those who have loved someone suffering from bipolar disease and mental illness.

About the Author :
Sheila Hamilton is a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist. Her storytelling résumé runs through film, commercial television, radio, and print. She began her career as an associate producer for public broadcasting and then anchored and reported commercial television news for KTVX in Salt Lake City and KATU in Portland, Oregon. Sheila currently hosts the KINK morning show in Portland, where she was recently voted Oregon's Best Radio Personality. She also writes cover stories for About Face magazine and authors her own blog. Hamilton is a frequent speaker and emcee for her favorite causes--mindful mental health and empowerment for girls. She serves on the board of Girls Inc., an organization empowering girls to be strong, smart, and bold, and the Flawless Foundation, a mental health advocacy organization. Sheila Hamilton is a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist. Her storytelling résumé runs through film, commercial television, radio, and print. She began her career as an associate producer for public broadcasting and then anchored and reported commercial television news for KTVX in Salt Lake City and KATU in Portland, Oregon. Sheila currently hosts the KINK morning show in Portland, where she was recently voted Oregon's Best Radio Personality. She also writes cover stories for About Face magazine and authors her own blog. Hamilton is a frequent speaker and emcee for her favorite causes--mindful mental health and empowerment for girls. She serves on the board of Girls Inc., an organization empowering girls to be strong, smart, and bold, and the Flawless Foundation, a mental health advocacy organization.

Review :
"All the Things We Never Knew is the rare memoir that's as harrowing as it is heartwarming...This extraordinary story, about the mystery and scars of mental illness, is sobering and compelling and simply unputdownable." -- "Karen Karbo, bestselling author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel" "A boldly beautiful page-turner about loving and losing someone with mental illness. I'll be recommending this absorbing memoir for years to come." -- "Cheryl Strayed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wild" "Bold and honest...Not only a cautionary tale but another example of the resiliency within all of us, and our ability to make the choice to heal." -- "Lee Woodruff, bestselling author of In an Instant" "Hamilton's story is unsettling, but the heart and grit she displays in successfully moving beyond tragedy and learning to live with such chilling uncertainties as whether or not her daughter would also develop bipolar disorder make the book a worthwhile--if at times difficult--read. A brave and honest memoir of mental illness and the many people it can affect." -- "Kirkus Reviews" "Merging her gut-wrenching personal story with all-pro journalistic acumen, Sheila Hamilton gives us the who-what-where-when-why of mental illness and what you can do to get the help you need. Most of all, this book gives us permission not to go through hardship alone, no matter what crises we face." -- "Laura Munson, New York Times bestselling author " "One of the most candid, heart-wrenching, and deeply moving accounts of the wake of destruction caused by the suicide of a loved one...The book casts the dark shadow that is depression, then rises from such darkness, reminding us to 'Look to the living, love them, and hold on.' Finally, it gives survivors tremendous resolve to continue in their quest for prevention." -- "Kevin Hines, author of Cracked, Not Broken: Surviving and Thriving After a Suicide Attempt"