This biography is the often heartbreaking story of Meg Kissinger's family and the mental illness that plagued them all. My father died by suicide---I wondered if this book would be a comfort or a dangerous path for me. It was a little of both. It brought back some painful memories but also many healing moments. Thank you, Meg for being so open with the issues that so many want to brush under the rug with shame. While I enjoyed the audio version, it made it almost too real at time for me. But I think many readers will love it. We need more honest books like this.

I found this book to be relatable as I am from the same area the Meg Kissinger grew up and could relate to much of her family culture being from an Irish family raised in the Northern Chicago/Milwaukee-land area. I find this memoir significant in that mental health discussion is still such a taboo topic in the Midwestern part of the country. Families have a difficult time sharing their feelings and the stereotypical Midwesterners get uncomfortable with topics of mental/behavioral health because its not openly discussed. I think in many ways, its the blue-collared ideal of "keep your head down and work hard", and that's to include pulling all of the emotional weight that you harbor yourself. While times are changing and advocacy for mental and behavioral health is on the rise, I think hearing Kissinger's story and the way she shared her experiences will help many people, especially those of her generation that went without help because it was dismissed or omitted due to practiced societal norms.

I always think it is so hard to give feedback for autobiographies. I thought it was interesting that is started with her family history and then had a second section that talked more about her professional life as a journalist working with people struggling with sever mental illness. I do wish I knew more about her profession and her research before reading the first section of the book — it would have given that section more of a purpose for me to help me understand why she was sharing her experiences with her siblings with us. All and all, I think this is a very important book to read and brings up a lot of serious points about our society and the lack of resources provided for people, and families, who are struggling with mental illness.

This was a very well done and heartfelt memoir about living with mental illness. Hard to listen to in some parts, Meg Kissinger did not hold back about the toll mental illness takes on loved ones as well as the individual themselves. There are trigger warnings in here for suicide and others, but it is important for these stories to be told in actuality, no matter how hard they are to hear or to tell. I can’t imagine living with this in so many siblings, but Kissinger is resilient and has been through a lot. I’ve been through it with an ex-spouse and related to a lot of these feelings and struggles, it is exhausting, and the guilt for feeling exhausted is real, and the peace she described is also real. This is a must read, and while it is a tough subject, it is important, and I am so glad the author has shared her story.

I listened to this via audio and I always appreciate when the author narrates these types of books themselves, it makes for an authentic experience that you don’t get when reading a physical copy. I definitely recommend listening to this one if you can.

Thank you to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

While You Were Out looks in depth at author, and journalist, Meg Kissinger’s life growing up in a household surrounded by mental health issues. I wouldn’t necessarily say I was triggered by what I read, but I definitely related to a lot of it. I lost my dad to suicide in 94 at the age of 8. Suicide has far more awareness, and compassion, now than it did then and it broke my mother who already struggled with her own mental health. I appreciated that Meg narrated the audiobook without a lot of overt emotion because it would have broke me listening to it if she had. While You Weree Oht is gritty, deep and painfully beautiful.

Thank you for the gifted ALC.

*Audiobook*

Meg Kissinger lived a seemingly normal—even privileged—life with a big family full of loving siblings and parents. But behind closed doors, the family dealt with severe mental health issues that plagued every member in some form. From their mother being frequently hospitalized for depression and anxiety to two siblings losing a long and harrowing battle with bipolar disorder and depression, Meg and her siblings were left to pick up the pieces of their family and their own trauma.

The author is a journalist, and that comes out in her writing. She weaves her life story with what she has learned about mental illness through her own experiences and investigative reporting, which I found interesting and insightful. She reads the audiobook in an engaging but straightforward way: it is not overly emotional, even in really emotional scenes (trigger warning: there is not grotesque detail about her siblings’ suicides, but they are talked about significantly and are integral to the story). My only critique is as an audiobook, the chapters were very long (40-50 minutes on 1.5x speed), so I’d have to stop in the middle based on what I was doing (short commute, for instance). Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Meg Kissinger for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Kissinger gives the reader every gritty detail of mental illness and anguish that has plagued her family since it’s establishment. Read by the author, the audiobook gives the reader the emotion and heartbreak of the compounded experiences of suicide, bipolar disorder and a series of upsetting and unfortunate events. I think this book could use a content warning with appropriate resources at the beginning of the book. It is the author’s responsibility to inform the reader of sensitive topics and provide them appropriate resources.

From the outside, Meg Kissinger’s big Catholic family appeared to have it all. Behind closed doors, her family was plagued by mental illness. With dark humor and deep vulnerability, Meg shares the story of her traumatic childhood in her memoir, WHILE YOU WERE OUT: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence

After losing two of her siblings to suicide and reckoning with her parent’s debilitating mental illness, Meg pursued investigative journalism as a career to reconcile her trauma from the past and work to improve the systems that failed her family. Readers who enjoyed The Glass Castle won’t want to miss WHILE YOU WERE OUT.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: September 5, 2023

Many thanks to the publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

While you were out was a heartbreaking account of the mental illness that ran rampant in the author's family. It may be triggering for some readers because there are a few instances of suicide and suicidal ideation discussed. I think that Meg Kissinger did a great job of being vulnerable and letting us in to see what her family endured. None of it is easy subject matter, especially so close to home. Kissinger allowed us to know how she was feeling and what she went through on a personal level through her siblings' mental health deteriorated to the point of no return. This book definitely makes me think a lot more research needs to be done on the genetic components that contribute mental health issues. This is an important book.

While you were out is a biographical book by Meg Kissinger, a renowned journalist who grew up in a family of eight, in the suburbs of Chicago. I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, which I think gives the listener a more personalized experience. She chronicles her life, from an early age until the present, and it's no surprise that she became fascinated with the mental illness and the lack of treatment for individuals with this malady. I was drawn to this book for several reasons. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago at around the same time as Ms. Kissinger. I worked in the mental health field for 40 years. This book was excellent, in my opinion. The fact that the author went as far as to travel around the country for 2 years, investigating various mental health agencies, is testimony to her dedication to this cause. I highly recommend this book to those that enjoy biographies, as well as those with interest in family dynamics, and /or the mental health system in our country. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange of an honest review.

𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵-𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨!

I have so many emotions after reading this book, but I’m so glad I read Meg’s story. Raw, honest, poignant and beautiful. A story a mental health that everyone must read.

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁 by Meg Kissinger releases today September 5, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the advance access to this audiobook for my honest review!

Happy Pub Day to While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger! This is a memoir focused on the mental illness that encompassed her family of ten. She combines her and her siblings’ memories with research to share her family’s story grappling with mental illness, loss, and grief. It is heart-wrenching and beautifully told.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a testament to how much work goes into caring for yourself and loved ones with mental illness. It truly take a village. I think Meg Kissinger researched and explained the treatment of mental illness and how it a has changed over the years really well. Don’t get me wrong, we are far from having a great system. However, I do believe there is a shift happening with talking more openly about our struggles and removing the stigma compared to how it was ignored and covered up during her childhood.

What I loved most about this memoir is how the author combined her investigative reporting background. She didn’t just share her family’s story. She did research and shared data that is so needed in understanding how the mental health crisis has come to exist and how neglected the system is, how the system is failing us. She also explored how religion plays a part in the shame many individuals feel about admitting they are struggling and need help.

This book is a reminder that everything is affected by our mental health: relationships, housing, jobs. It’s a reminder to keep having conversations with people you trust and professionals. Reach out to those you think may be struggling.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Visit bethe1to.com to learn how you can help prevent suicide #BeThe1To

TW: mental illness, including but not limited to alcohol & substance abuse, depression, PPD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, suicide (including ideation, attempts, & death by); physical, sexual, & verbal abuse; unplanned pregnancy; abortion; death; religious shame; antisemitism; cancer

#FirstLine ~ When we were little, my sister Patty and I liked to pretend that ferocious tigers lurked in the space between our twin beds, just waiting to rip us to shreds.

Prepare to embark on an emotional journey like no other with this remarkable memoir. Through its pages, the author shares a deeply personal account that is both brilliantly written and profoundly touching. With raw honesty, they invite readers into the most intimate corners of their life, laying bare their struggles, triumphs, and heartbreaks. The narrative is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, as the author navigates through life's most challenging moments with unwavering courage. The emotional depth of this memoir is staggering – the stories are heart-wrenching and the experiences are recounted with such vividness that you feel every emotion alongside the author. Each chapter is a poignant reminder of the beauty and fragility of life, leaving a lasting impact that lingers long after the last page is turned. The author's writing skillfully captures the complexity of their emotions, and their vulnerability is both inspiring and humbling. While the stories may be heartbreaking, they are also a testament to the power of the human spirit to find hope and healing even in the darkest of times. This is a memoir that will touch your soul and make you reflect on your own journey. It's a reminder that life's challenges can shape us into something stronger, and that even in our moments of deepest sorrow, there is still room for the beauty of resilience and the triumph of the human heart. Truly a masterpiece that will resonate with readers long after they've closed the book.

Kissinger does a wonderful job accounting her experience in a family and upbringing abounding in mental illness. She reflects on things that were detrimental to their development (such as not talking at all about her mother going to a psychiatric hospital, and saying "if anyone asks, it was an accident" to a family member's suicide – both behaviors exhibited out of shame), and she shows a better understanding and position on mental health now than when a child (i.e. "I should have realized she was struggling with severe depression instead of being mad at her for being mean to me.").

I loved how Kissinger's journalistic passions were focused on exposing failures in USA's mental health system. She says she's not an advocate, but by bringing these things to light she is helping change stigma and improve protocols. This book makes you feel understood if you come from a dysfunctional family strife with mental illness and abuse, and/or if you suffer from mental illness yourself.

As a fellow Wisconsinite, I considered it neat that Kissinger's story takes place mostly in Wisconsin and Chicago. However, her self-narrated audiobook has a relatively heavy midwestern accent that can be painful to listen to at times. That being said, it usually a gamble when a non-actor narrates their own book, and Kissinger's interpretation was lovely.

𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪

Thank you #partners @celadonbooks & @macmillan.audio for my #gifted copies.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁: 𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
𝗕𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗴 𝗞𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟵/𝟱/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: Through courageous and compassionate storytelling, journalist Meg Kissinger candidly shares her own family's experiences with mental illness during a time of immense stigmatization and silence.

In part two, we learn how Kissinger's sibling's lost battle with mental illness became her battlecry for the next twenty-five years of her journalism career, as she shines a light on the fractured and lacking mental health system in the United States.

💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: This was incredible! Heartbreaking, deeply moving, and profoundly insightful, Kissinger writes with such intimacy and vulnerability.

I read this in both print and audiobook. The audiobook is expertly narrated by the author herself. I started this last night and finished it in less than 24 hours. Kissinger's writing is both conversational and captivating, with unexpected doses of humor woven in. By the end, Meg feels like an old friend.❤️

While You Were Out is a memoir that will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend!

📌 This is a September @bookofthemonth pick
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This is a powerful book to raise awareness of suicide prevention and mental health. Since September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, it would be a good book on your TBR this month!

Investigative reporter, Meg Kissinger, tells her story of her family and their trials and struggles with mental health. Growing up on 1960s Chicago, they seemed to have had a charmed life when she was a child. But behind the scenes, her mother was in and out of the hospital for anxiety and depression and her father was violent. Whether through genetics or trauma, or probably both, her siblings also struggled with mental illness, resulting in two of them committing suicide. After telling her family's story, she explores America's broken mental health system and how the taboo around talking about mental health contributes to the problem.

I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I listened to it on audiobook, which is always my favorite media for memoirs. Although to me, this was a little bit more than a memoir as she uses her investigative reporting skills to go beyond just the story of her family. It was a very insightful look into the family dynamics of those living with mental illness. She really focuses on the problem of not discussing it and how that contributes to trauma going forward. It is also about love and resilience. Told in a style that is part humor, part retrospect, and part reporting, it was one of my favorite books of the month.

Thank you to NetGally and MacMillan Audio for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Moving and intimate, this family-focused memoir of mental illness, generational trauma, and love had me finding every excuse to put on headphones and keep listening. Kissinger's work as a journalist, her ability to look with love and unflinching honesty at her own history made this book unforgettable. It also put into perspective for me both how far we have come in terms of mental health and reproductive rights in the past sixty years and how far we still have to go.

This book was heavy and readers should be aware of the content warnings, but the topics were handled so deftly and with such maturity that the discussion could often feel cathartic and healing for me, rather than triggering.

Content warnings for discussions of substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, suicide, antisemitism, stalking, harassment. and forced institutionalization.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of “While You Were Out” in exchange for an honest review. To say I enjoyed it doesn’t feel like the right word for a very personal memoir that revolves around a family’s numerous and challenging encounters with mental health. That aside, I really enjoyed this. Kissinger’s journalism background is evident in the memoir’s concise storytelling. Kissinger manages to explore her family members’ minds with the intimacy of someone who lived through it and the clarity of a seasoned researcher.

I really liked the content of this book. I was reading it and listening to it at the same time, and this is one where I would recommend reading it. I loved that the author narrated it herself, but I didn’t love the editing of it. The tone, volume, and overall voice of the audio bounced all over, creating a jarring effect where I could tell where pieces were edited together. It had an interrupting effect on the story. I would be listening, feeling like Meg was talking just to me, and then without warning her voice would change. I did thoroughly enjoy the narrative, and the insight into how mental illness had such an effect on her family. I would definitely recommend in print form.

Meg was part of a family of ten, and in her good catholic upbringing was told to pray away any afflictions. Her family had a long history of mental illness, but it was something never discussed. Many of the things in this story the author didn’t know until she sat down and talked to her family to write this book. Mental illness was covered up, and this is a look at how that had damaging effects on her family.

Review: This is a powerful memoir from a well-spoken women who grew up in a family who has been failed by the lack of mental medical advancement in the USA. The foirst part details her family history and the second covers the downfalls of mental health care.
Recommended For: Memoir or mental health readers.