Customer Reviews
an amazing book - By: Gaudimax, 08 Nov 2008 
Right after my copy arrived I read through itin one big thrilling session - despite its grim content I was hooked immediately & Katy's story has stayed with me long after I turned the last page. Suffering from severest (and for a long time undiagnosed) bipolar disorder as well as eating disorders & self-harm, the author has been haunted by unspeakable depression that resultedin over 400 serious suicide attempts. It is a miracle that she survived. As a PhDin clinical medicine she now dedicates part of her time to help fellow sufferers.
Hers is a story that should be read not only by fellow sufferers, their friends & relatives as well as medical professionals, but simply by everyone. This is my perspective: I don't belong to any of those groups, yet I consider her book one of the most important I've readin a long, long time.
So what is there to be learned from "Dark clouds gather"?
Katy Sara stripped her soul barein order to create a greater understanding for people with mental illness. Her brutal honesty & frankness, but also her high intelligence, allowing her to analyse her own suffering, provide a rare & precious glimpse into what it means to live with bipolar disorder. It is horrifying to see what immense pain & agony she lives in, invisible to others but constantly & brutally raging within her.
What upsets me is the damage caused by others, by more or less thoughtlessly uttered words, lack of empathy, primitive & outrageous bullying and,in case of several medical professionals, prejudgement & open cruelty. This is what I, a non-sufferer, will take with me, a reminder that words & deeds do,in fact, harm others.
Despite all this Katy Sara's story is one of hope for everyone who find themselves trappedin the dark. Not only may they profit from the very useful collection of (internet) addresses at the end of the book, covering many aspects of mental illness, eating disorders & suicide. It is also the note of optimism with which Katy Sara's book ends & which, I hope, will reach many, many readers.
Illuminating - By: D. Robinson, 15 Sep 2008 Dark Clouds Gather is an astonishingly brave & absorbing book. It frankly & sincerely tells the story of the author's lifelong struggles with manic depression. The subject matter is painful, but it is well worthwhile, & helps provide much-needed understanding of the experiences of people with mental illnesses.
Somewhere the sunshine is breaking through - By: Gayalondiel, 15 Sep 2008 Dark Clouds Gather: The True Story About Surviving Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, Attempted Suicide & Self-Harm by Katy Sara Culling is one of the most painfully honest books I have ever read. It is written as an autobiography of Culling's experiences as a child, teenager & adult suffering from (mostly undiagnosed) bipolar I with a host of concurrent conditions, as the title suggests. Culling is a highly intelligent individual who has studied chemistry, biochemistry, medicine & psychiatry to various levels up to & including a DPhil at Oxford. She is also distinguished among those people I can name as having been through the most troubling disorders & states of mind that I am aware of. Culling is therefore particularly well, if not uniquely qualified to present the many aspects of her illness with both the awareness of her feelings at the time combined with highly analytical hindsight. She writes articulately about the circlesin which her mind could run, exposing without judgement or awkwardness the less desirable view of the world & of individuals that is somewhat inevitable for someone with that condition.
I could go on & on about this book, but I will try to keep it brief. Culling is a miracle -in more sense than one. She is a miracle because she lives, having detailed no less than 443 identifiable suicide attemptsin just shy of thirty years of life. She is a miracle because she has been clinically dead at least once, possibly more. She is a miracle because her intent with writing the book was to write "the book I needed to read when I was ill," &in doing so has given up more of herself that anyone would be expected to give into the public arena. Most importantly, though, she is a miracle because she continues to give, online,in her work, producing more books (I am aware of at least two further volumes) & she continues to improve to this day. The final chapter of the book, though hopeful, is tinged with resignation to her illness: the epilogue is brighter by far. She continues to brighten, even when she has hard times, & offer support freely to those people who have not yet learned to live with their illnesses, as well as those who have but continue to need help.
In terms of readability, Culling's writing style is not my style of choice, but then I like my writing to be quite formal, with a slightly obsessive-compulsive need to have the formatting consistent throughout. The writing style does however reflect the subject matter well & underlines the personal & individual nature of the book. It is augmented by frequent quotations from other writers to provide a breakin a narrative that feels at times unrelenting, & supported by extracts from Culling's diaries & her medical notes. The book is by no means an easy read, on the contrary it can be painful, tiring & frustratingin places, sparing no detail save the uncommon knowledge that could provide someone with the means to end their lives. At the same time it is a compelling story & the final chapter provides such a powerful lift that you cannot help but feel that there is hope, not just for Culling but for anyone fighting the same demons.
Anyone struggling with mood disorders, eating disorders, anyone feeling a loss of hope or lack of self-esteem, & anyone struggling to know how to support & understand a friend or family memberin that position, this book is a must. Nowhere else will you find such honesty & understanding.
Amazing! - By: Mr. M. J. Wesson, 25 Aug 2008 This is a fantastically honest heart wrenching book, allowing you not only to read about the hectic life of someone with mental illness, but share an insight into her soul & accompany her on her journey.
This book is inspirational & a definate must-read!!
