I am acutally now in the middle of Chapter 4, but this tidbit is in my brain and won't go away until I put it down (Hey do I sound Like Imp, here?)

The hospital used to be called the Butler Hospital for the Insane, but somewhere along the way “for the Insane” was dropped.

It reminded me of how in my own state, the chapter in our legal code relating to mental health (and mental illness), in a less sensitive (and less politically correct) but possibly more honest time, was titled "Idiots and Lunatics."

Cattleman: I like your comment about these terms and political correctness (not). There is nothing wrong with these words themselves, but of course we often load words with meanings and stereotypes and prejudices and so on, that stray far from the original meaning. There are some (non-western) societies in the world where people with mental issues of one variety or another are largely accepted and integrated into society, so long as they aren't a threat to others. I think we further isolate these folks with vague, clinical or meaningless terminology which dehumanizes them and makes it much easier to say that he or she is someone else's problem, even if we just say this quietly to ourselves, and therefore easier to institutionalize and deflect responsibility.

I just started reading the book and not sure what I think. It's is different than what I used to. Which is the main reason I joined was to find new a different books. Can't wait to read more.

marole428 wrote

I just started reading the book and not sure what I think. It's is different than what I used to. Which is the main reason I joined was to find new a different books. Can't wait to read more.

I'm with you on all four points. This is definitely a book I wouldn't have picked up on my own, yet the story really gripped me. My guesses about what the heck was going on were all over the place.
Welcome to the book!
Kay