Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

A very old friend of mine, who I meet about once a year, told me about this book last week, which was first published 1 January 2015.

I want life. I want to read it and write it and feel it and live it. I want, for as much of the time as possible in this blink-of-an-eye existence we have, to feel all that can be felt. I hate depression. I am scared of it. Terrified, in fact. But at the same time, it has made me who I am. And if - for me - it is the price of feeling life, it's a price always worth paying.

According to www.goodreads.com Reasons to Stay Alive has 4230 ratings and 630 reviews. It is about making the most of your time on earth. In the western world the suicide rate is highest among men under the age of 35. Matt Haig could have added to that statistic when, aged 24, he found himself staring at a cliff-edge about to jump off. This is the story of why he didn't, how he recovered and learned to live with anxiety and depression. It's also an upbeat, joyous and very funny exploration of how live better, love better, read better and feel more. 

Maxine said: FINALLY! A book about depression that makes sense.

P.S. 7/4/2016 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky- "It has a brilliant depiction of mental illness without detracting from the personality of the protagonist. I like novels that are realistic and relateable without feeling like I'm reading nonfiction."- Phoebe in GO4 Cafe.