{"title":"Robert Kolker","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRobert Kolker\u003c\/strong\u003e crafts compelling narratives at the intersection of biography and mental health, drawing readers into deeply human stories. His works explore complex family dynamics and the challenges of psychological illness with empathy and clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Kolker illuminates the resilience and struggles of his subjects, inviting reflection on both individual experience and broader societal issues related to health and wellness.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"hidden-valley-road","title":"Hidden Valley Road","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e by Robert Kolker is an astonishing true story of a family grappling with mental illness against the backdrop of breakthrough scientific research. \n\n\u003cp\u003eMeet the Galvin family: Don and Mimi seemed to have the perfect post-World War II life in Colorado, blessed with twelve children born one after another between 1945 and 1965. However, extraordinary challenges lay beneath the surface of their American dream. Over the years, the family endured psychological breakdowns, unpredictable violence, and hidden abuses. By the mid-1970s, six of the ten Galvin boys were diagnosed with schizophrenia, unravelling the family's cohesion and plunging them into chaos and despair. Their journey became pivotal for scientific research into the condition, offering glimpses into potential genetic causes and treatments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Galvins were so unique that the National Institutes of Mental Health chose to study them extensively. Their genetic material has since contributed to some of the most significant research advancements in the field, helping to pave the way for future treatments and possible preventions of schizophrenia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs a bestseller, the book has earned high acclaim, including a spot on Barack Obama's list of favourite books of 2020 and TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of 2020. It was also selected as an Oprah's Book Club pick and became a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCritics have praised the book's intimate and powerful narrative:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Startlingly intimate' - \u003ci\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Grippingly told and brilliantly reported' - \u003ci\u003eMail on Sunday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Unforgettable' - \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor those intrigued by works such as \u003ci\u003eEducated\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThree Identical Strangers\u003c\/i\u003e, Kolker’s book is a must-read. \u003ci\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/i\u003e is not just a compelling case study but also a poignant exploration of family, trauma, and hope. Each chapter uncovers new layers of the Galvin family's struggles and the enduring quest for understanding mental illness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAuthor Robert Kolker's extraordinary skills bring clarity and compassion to the narrative, illuminating the harsh realities and resiliency of a family burdened by schizophrenia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An extraordinary case study and tour de force of reporting' - Sylvia Nasar, author of \u003ci\u003eA Beautiful Mind\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'This book tore my heart out. It is a revelation—about the history of mental health treatment, about trauma, foremost about family—and a more-than-worthy follow-up to Robert Kolker's brilliant \u003ci\u003eLost Girls\u003c\/i\u003e' - Megan Abbott, Edgar Award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eDare Me\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eGive Me Your Hand\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/i\u003e contains everything: scientific intrigue, devastating heartbreak, and the enduring resilience of an extraordinary family.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45712103112940,"sku":"9781787473805","price":20.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781787473805.jpg?v=1725981054"},{"product_id":"hidden-valley-road-1","title":"Hidden Valley Road","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eUnforgettable\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eGrippingly told and brilliantly reported\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eMail on Sunday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eStartlingly intimate\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFascinating\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eGroundbreaking\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eEvening Standard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eExceptional and moving\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003ci\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/i\u003e, written by the bestselling and award-winning author Robert Kolker, is a fascinating and heart-wrenching account of an American family whose narrative magnificently weaves together scientific intrigue, meticulous reporting, and profound humanity. The Galvin family, living the American dream in post-World War II Colorado, appeared to be the epitome of success and domestic bliss. However, behind closed doors, a different, darker story unfolded.\n\nDon and Mimi Galvin's twelve children represented the classic Baby Boomer generation, with their births spanning from 1945 to 1965. Despite adhering to the era's script of aspiration, hard work, and upward mobility, the Galvin household was plagued by psychological breakdowns, sudden bouts of violence, and hidden abuse. By the mid-1970s, six of the twelve Galvin children were diagnosed with schizophrenia, one after another. \n\nThis shocking reality transformed the Galvin family into a crucial subject of study by the National Institutes of Mental Health. Their story is not just a family saga but also a shadow history of the understanding of schizophrenia—from the dark days of institutionalisation, the pursuit of lobotomy, and the controversial theory of the schizophrenogenic mother, to the modern search for genetic markers that could predict and treat the illness.\n\nUnbeknownst to many, the DNA samples from the Galvin family have critically informed decades of genetic research, pushing forward the boundaries of understanding schizophrenia and offering hope for future generations.”\n\n\u003ci\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/i\u003e is a tour de force of investigative journalism. Robert Kolker employs empathy, clear prose, and detailed analysis to uncover this story of suffering, love, and hope. His work not only captures the tragic struggles within the Galvin family but also offers revelations about the broader history of mental health treatment and the trauma individual families endure.\n\n\"This book tore my heart out,\" praises a reader. \"\u003ci\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/i\u003e is a revelation about the history of mental health treatment, about trauma, and foremost, about family—a more-than-worthy follow-up to Robert Kolker's brilliant work.\"\n\n-David Grann, author of \u003ci\u003eKillers of the Flower Moon\u003c\/i\u003e\n\nOne of the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \"20 most anticipated books of 2020\", \u003ci\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/i\u003e is a must-read for anyone interested in the intricate dynamics of family life and the profound impact of mental illness on the human psyche. It is a poignant, deeply researched narrative that will leave you contemplating long after the final page.\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Gardners Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45745437442284,"sku":"9781787473829","price":27.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781787473829.jpg?v=1726676373"},{"product_id":"the-vanishing-family-by-robert-kolker-9781529438574","title":"The Vanishing Family","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"This is a triumph of reporting, and an absolutely compelling exploration of neuroscience and genetics. At its heart, though, it's a poignant, heartfelt story about family and how love sustains even in the most difficult circumstances. Like Kolker's other work, it is full of deep humanity. It's a beautiful book\" \u003cstrong\u003eSusan Orlean, bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Orchid Thief\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eHidden Valley Road\u003c\/em\u003e comes the heart-wrenching journey of a family facing a tragic genetic destiny, set against the scientific search for hope for all of us who fear losing our selves to dementia.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNone of us knows how our story will end, or what shape we will be in by the time the end comes. Here, however, is the story of a family filled with people who do know - or could know. Each family member has a 50-50 chance of inheriting a genetic mutation that causes frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a cruel disease that emerges in middle age. As more and more family members begin to show symptoms, \u003cem\u003eThe Vanishing Family\u003c\/em\u003e offers an intimate exploration of the family's emotional journeys and relationships, and the difficult decisions they face as they confront their genetic fate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough first-rate reporting and compassionate storytelling, Kolker brings to life the experiences of those in the family who are afflicted by FTD and those who are not. Interwoven with this devastating narrative is the relentless search for a cure—and a glimmer of hope that FTD research could also help us understand more common forms of dementia like Alzheimer's. The decision of whether to get tested for the genetic mutation looms over all members of the family, surfacing a haunting question: if you were going to lose yourself—in a year, or two, or ten—would you even want to know?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Vanishing Family\u003c\/em\u003e is a powerful allegory for our anxieties about aging and the unknown, offering a roadmap through the unthinkable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47874150891756,"sku":"9781529438574","price":33.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529438574-the-vanishing-family.jpg?v=1782982617"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/robert-kolker.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}