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  • The Center Cannot Hold

  • Written by: Elyn R. Saks
  • Narrated by: Alma Cuervo
  • Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (26 ratings)

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The Center Cannot Hold cover art

The Center Cannot Hold

Written by: Elyn R. Saks
Narrated by: Alma Cuervo
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Publisher's Summary

Professor of psychiatry Elyn R. Saks writes about her struggle with schizophrenia in this unflinching account of her mental illness. In The Center Cannot Hold, Saks draws readers into a nightmare world of medications, a misguided health-care system, and social stigmas. But she would not be defeated. With a strength and force of will that most can only imagine, Saks reclaimed her life and went on to achieve great success.
©2007 Elyn R. Saks (P)2007 Recorded Books, LLC

What the critics say

"In this engrossing memoir, Saks...demonstrates a novelist's skill of creating character, dialogue, and suspense." ( Publishers Weekly)
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What listeners say about The Center Cannot Hold

Average Customer Ratings
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EVERYONE NEEDS THIS BOOK

Throughout my time listening to this amazing book, My view of people that suffer from serious mental health problems changed drastically. It helped me see that even people that seem completely detached from reality can still comprehend what is happening around them and can benefit from interactions with kind, caring people. We need to treat everyone with kindness and respect and not be scared of things we don't understand.

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Educational

This book was insightful and educational. Truly a look into schizophrenia from a first hand perspective. Family members and friends of schizophrenics should listen to this for perspective and understanding but most of all hope! #Audible1

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incredible book with an incredible story

This book is absolutely fantastic. It really paints a good picture of what certain disorders feel like. The story of this woman is impressive and I cried like 20 times.

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The author’s compassion, humour, and excellent writing makes this book a great piece of literature.

This woman is the most interesting person, so quirky, so lovely. I’m so grateful she wrote and published her story. It’s a book and story I’ll remember and come back to through my life, I can already tell. Her insight into her illness and her ability to describe her psychosis in such detail makes this memoir readable and interesting and herself very relatable. I loved this book and would recommend it to everyone. ❤️

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a thoughtful and heavy read

The narrator was key with this material. the novel was heavy most of the way through, but thoughtully written yo not make the reader uncomfortable, but intrigued and curious. Such an intense topic, but well paced and delivered.

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Sound editing is awful - great story

The sound editing in this book is straight up lazy. The performer was excellent but chapters would be cut off abruptly sometimes mid word. You could hear pages being turned and other faint noises. All of this could easily be fixed.

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1 person found this helpful