by Juliann Garey (Get the Book)In her debut, screenwriter Garey delivers a commanding portrait of a Hollywood studio executive who so tires of covering up his bipolar disorder that he abandons his lucrative career and his family, traveling the world for decades. Told in snippets and in nonlinear format, the story of Greyson Todd's spectacular flameout encompasses touring as a relic pilgrim in Rome, becoming the victim of a scam perpetrated by Bedouins, engaging in sexual escapades in Thailand, and entering into marriage with the widow of an AIDS victim in Africa. Through it all, Greyson is haunted by memories of his father, who also suffered from bipolar disorder and who went on extravagant spending sprees that decimated his family's finances. When Greyson finally ends up in a psychiatric ward in New York City, undergoing 12 sessions of electroshock treatments, he begins to lose some of his most cherished memories, especially those of the wife and daughter he abandoned, and yet the novel ends on a hopeful note as Greyson strives to achieve stability in his life. A vividly written chronicle of one man's attempt to conquer his mental illness. --Booklist
