Hidden Valley Road

On the surface the Galvins were the picture perfect family. Mimi comes from upper-crust Texan wealth while Don, soon to become an Air Force Academy official, exudes confidence. They will grow their family until it encompassed 10 boys and 2 girls. But turmoil is a constant companion to the family. Six of the boys would eventually be diagnosed with schizophrenia bringing chaos, abuse, murder and lots of denial to the family. Honestly I'm still not sure whether Mimi Galvin was an absolute narcissistic monster or a tireless crusader hell bent on keeping the family together. It's a testament to Kolker's empathy that he can write this story where both are possible.

This is also a medical mystery - following the varied research and theories over the years. It's heartbreaking to see how advances are stymied by a lack of clear profit to be made. And to see how, even decades later, the illness still proves difficult to define.

For all the madness on display, the endless tragedies and erosion of normalcy, Kolker manages to pull hope from the mess, bookending the story with how the youngest takes on her mother's mantle and works to keep the family together. Years in the making, this is meticulously researched, pulling from extensive interviews with the entire family and the researchers looking to uncover the mysteries of this ill-understood disease.