Driving to Clarinda : A Song of Ascent

An intimate and powerful memoir, Driving to Clarinda recounts one Iowa family's incredible challenge in coming to terms with mental illness during the 1960s and 1970s, a time when precious little was known about bipolar disorder. Rosanne Bachman vividly describes the turmoil of her mother's struggle against the disease and shares the heartwarming bonds of love that connect one generation to the next. But at its core, Driving to Clarinda is the story of a child who finds her voice in the world by realizing that the only way to get past heartache is to confront it straight on. Advance Praise for Driving to Clarinda "[Bachman] has a unique way of storytelling that moves you along with a simple rhythm and the self-deprecating humor so typical of Iowans. There is definitely value in telling this story." -Robert D. Ray, former governor of Iowa "Bachman manages to comment on the big issues of loyalty, prejudice, spirituality, trauma, and recovery through the eyes of a child and set us on a course of thinking about our own family and our own past. Anyone who cares for an ill or elderly family member should read this book. The little child who had no voice has a big one now." -Eboni Green, RN, MS, Caregiver Support Services, Omaha