Into the Thicket

Schizophrenia is seen as madness, an incurable disease that one never recovers from. But for William Brundage, developing and living with schizophrenia is a spiritual journey that the modern assumptions about mental illness cannot capture. Into the Thicket describes Brundage's life as a teen whose schizophrenia calls him deep into the Oregon woods, endangering his life, while also awakening his sense of spirituality and connection with the natural world. His battle to overcome and control his schizophrenia-through years of doctors and hospitals and medications-is both uplifting and poignant. It's a rare glimpse into a world most people have never understood, and few have been able to write about.