The American Association of Suicidology's Recent Reviews column posted such a sensitive and insightful review of my memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On, that I have to share it verbatim. Reviewed by: Fran Edstrom, Editor at Winona Post in Winona, MN.   At 321 pages, Madeline Sharples' memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On, is very readable and well-written.  Sharples is a 70-year-old married mother of two whose oldest son died of suicide at age 27. Her memoir recounts her son's battle with Bipolar Disorder, the effect of his illness on the family and on his relationships with his friends. This is not a dispassionate account of mental illness leading to suicide. Sharples makes several references in the narrative to her forays into poetry and prose writing after her son's death. She had a mentor who urged her to use her deep voice, and she does. There is a liberal sprinkling of her poetry throughout the book, which some readers may find enlightening. I imagine … [Read more...]