Self-Portrait with Ghosts

by Kelly Dwyer

Book Overview

When her brother commits suicide, a single mother must take an entirely new look at his life--and her own. Dwyer's quietly profound novel frames one man's descent into depression. . . . Simply an outstanding writer, Dwyer handles the poetic and tragic modes with equal skill.--Booklist.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425176967
• ISBN13: 9780425176962
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

A wonderful gem!

"Grief was like a flower, opening in the mouth"...so goes the prose of this wonderful writer. This book was just written so beautifully, it can break your heart and make you smile all at the same time. The insight to a suicidal/depressed mind is amazing. I've never read a more true graphic account of the feelings one must be going through on either side of suicide. Don't let the content put you off however, the journey of this book is worth the effort. One of my new top five faves.

So beautifully written!!

I picked up the book on a whim at my local bookstore and couldn't put it down until I finished reading it. Kelly describes in such vivid detail depression from a victim's point of view. Makes one understand more compassionately those who suffer from this terrible disease.

moving and funny--a beautiful book

This is the best book about depression I've ever read. It rang the most true to me, the most real. Dwyer has a knack for getting at our most human emotions. And, like her first book, Tracks of Angels, it was incredibly beautifully written. I loved it.

An amazing novel about families, love, and depression

I had a friend who killed himself just after college, and I was really angry at him for a long time. After reading Self-Portrait with Ghosts,I felt like I understood what he must have been going through. I loved this book for tackling this important theme, and for its characters, who were as complicated as real people. Audrey is probably the best young girl character I've ever come across. For anyone who has ever lost anyone to suicide, or to anyone who simply loves good books, this one is a must read.

Superb!!!!!!

Luke Flannigan had been a depressed individual, who struggled to cope with his role of being the central focus of his family, but he was wary and mentally tired. Ultimately, his demons defeated the accolades and respect, and Luke killed himself.The death of Luke sends the rest of the extended family into an emotional catastrophe. His sister Kate, struggling with being the single mother of a teen, wonders whether she should marry her current date. Kate also begins to feel that the past needs burying alongside her beloved brother. She leans towards forgiving her sister for taking away her spouse. Her daughter Audrey is in shock because Luke had replaced her biological father. With Luke's death, everyone knows that the past needs revisiting so that the future can be free of guilt and recriminations.SELF PORTRAIT WITH GHOSTS is a well-written family drama that dwells on the impact on the present from the ugly ghosts out of the past. Kelly Dwyer proves her talent by being able to scribe a beautiful tale that allows insight into the before and after effect of a suicide, especially the prime family person. The ending is a wee bit unrealistic because years of resentment and anger, and the present need to grieve, just does not abruptly vanish as easily as occurs within the novel. Still, Ms. Dwyer paints a brilliant family drama that should be must reading for everyone. Harriet Klausner 12/6/98