Nathan Filer
Author of The Shock of the Fall
About the Author
Image credit: Nathan Filer [Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian]
Works by Nathan Filer
Associated Works
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Filer, Nathan
- Birthdate
- 1980
- Gender
- male
- Birthplace
- Bristol, England, UK
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Reviews
I knew very little about schizophrenia before reading ‘The Heartland’, other than a fact from [b:Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche|6402564|Crazy Like Us The Globalization of the American Psyche|Ethan Watters|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1263266351l/6402564._SY75_.jpg|6591364]: that those diagnosed with it have better outcomes in developing countries than developed. Filer mentions this while acknowledging that his focus is on the UK. The book is structured around a series of case studies of schizophrenia sufferers, which are recounted in a sensitive and moving fashion. Between and within them, Filer discusses the uncertainties around the diagnosis, causes, and treatments for schizophrenia. I found this riveting and read the whole thing in a single sitting. The stated aim is to challenge popular misconceptions about the illness, in particular the media portrayal of schizophrenia sufferers as dangerous, violent, and criminal. I liked these sensible comments about the limitations of campaigns to overcome the ‘stigma’ of mental illness:
Filer comments that such campaigns don’t actually increase knowledge about how to help people with mental illness, nor do they provide resources to make that help accessible. Another theme is that schizophrenia and other mental illnesses aren’t consistently diagnosed. Although I’ve read other critiques of the DSM, this statement about its dominance was notable:
(This, incidentally, is another reason why I want to get out of academia. I vastly prefer writing book reviews for fun than journal papers for work.)
‘The Heartland’ considers the higher incidence of schizophrenia in underprivileged groups, noting that there may also be a genetic influence, yet huge uncertainties remain around causation. Moreover, some argue that rather than trying to identify causes, research should focus on alleviating symptoms. I found the idea of schizophrenia as a vulnerability to psychosis a useful way of approaching it. The discussion of delusions and hearing voices was also nuanced and thought-provoking. I appreciated Filer’s perspective as a former mental health nurse, and that several more such nurses are introduced in the book. Most notably, a nurse with schizophrenia himself who cares for others with the same diagnosis. The book concludes on an emotionally resonant note by describing the support group this nurse leads.
Although I enjoyed ‘The Heartland’, the tone of the writing was a bit dissonant at times. Between the seriously tragic material, there are frequent light-hearted jokes in footnotes. I presume the intention was to prevent the narrative becoming too heavy and putting off readers, but I found most of the jokey comments incongruous. The writing style also tends towards sentence fragments, if that is an issue for you. Since I started marking student essays, it has become difficult for me not to notice and disapprove of sentence fragments, although I probably use them myself. Overall, I found the presentation of the case studies and the actual information excellent, while the intermittent flippant asides were only a slight drawback.… (more)
...Because if it’s impossible to speak about mental health without talking about stigma, it’s equally impossible to seriously consider stigma without talking politics.
“Every single government seems to have leapt on the anti-stigma campaigns,” argues Johnstone. “Theresa May among others. But what are they doing to stop people being targeted by the benefits office? To the huge increase in inequality? The rise of zero hours jobs? These are the things that drive people mad. It’s no kind of answer to say that as long as we’re happy to say we’ve got schizophrenia that we’re making progress. It’s absolutely nonsense. It’s insulting. And it’s politically motivated. Does the current government or the previous one want to talk about discrimination? No, they don’t. Do they want to make themselves look very well-meaning by talking about anti-stigma? Yes, they do.”
Filer comments that such campaigns don’t actually increase knowledge about how to help people with mental illness, nor do they provide resources to make that help accessible. Another theme is that schizophrenia and other mental illnesses aren’t consistently diagnosed. Although I’ve read other critiques of the DSM, this statement about its dominance was notable:
He’s highly sceptical of the DSM, dismissing it as a parochial American system that’s nothing to do with us.
So why, I ask, do its categories continue to be the bedrock of so much clinical discussion and research, even in the UK?
His answer strikes me as both honest and shocking: “It is true that researchers like myself, we often have to use DSM criteria in our research papers,” he acknowledges. “And the reason for that is our publications have got to get into American journals because your survival in the university system depends on your impact factor. And your h-index.”
(This, incidentally, is another reason why I want to get out of academia. I vastly prefer writing book reviews for fun than journal papers for work.)
‘The Heartland’ considers the higher incidence of schizophrenia in underprivileged groups, noting that there may also be a genetic influence, yet huge uncertainties remain around causation. Moreover, some argue that rather than trying to identify causes, research should focus on alleviating symptoms. I found the idea of schizophrenia as a vulnerability to psychosis a useful way of approaching it. The discussion of delusions and hearing voices was also nuanced and thought-provoking. I appreciated Filer’s perspective as a former mental health nurse, and that several more such nurses are introduced in the book. Most notably, a nurse with schizophrenia himself who cares for others with the same diagnosis. The book concludes on an emotionally resonant note by describing the support group this nurse leads.
Although I enjoyed ‘The Heartland’, the tone of the writing was a bit dissonant at times. Between the seriously tragic material, there are frequent light-hearted jokes in footnotes. I presume the intention was to prevent the narrative becoming too heavy and putting off readers, but I found most of the jokey comments incongruous. The writing style also tends towards sentence fragments, if that is an issue for you. Since I started marking student essays, it has become difficult for me not to notice and disapprove of sentence fragments, although I probably use them myself. Overall, I found the presentation of the case studies and the actual information excellent, while the intermittent flippant asides were only a slight drawback.… (more)
A cleverly written book about loss, grief and mental health with quite an upbeat pace. Narrated by Matthew, a young man who has a serious psychiatric problem. He's fairly stable as he's on a lot of medication, and is writing up his memories. So they're a bit disjointed, but Matt feels quite believable.
More strong language than I'm comfortable with, some of it rather gratuitous, but on the whole I liked it. I'm not sure I really related to any of the characters, but I thought the story was well told, and worth reading. I doubt if I'll read it again, but on the whole would recommend it.
Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-shock-of-fall-by-nathan-filer.h...… (more)
More strong language than I'm comfortable with, some of it rather gratuitous, but on the whole I liked it. I'm not sure I really related to any of the characters, but I thought the story was well told, and worth reading. I doubt if I'll read it again, but on the whole would recommend it.
Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-shock-of-fall-by-nathan-filer.h...… (more)
I wasn't really all that clear on what I was going to be reading when I picked this one up. For some reason I expected something really hard-hitting and emotional, but got more a quiet fictional memoir of a young man learning to live with mental illness. The writing style was very simplistic and repetitive (purposefully) and it was very easy to read. I guess what this lacked for me was the emotional impact I expected from this story. Very much worth the read though, nonetheless.
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Statistics
- Works
- 5
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 1,395
- Popularity
- #18,427
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 62
- ISBNs
- 53
- Languages
- 12
I was recommended this novel and was assured it was a good audio book as I struggle with audio as opposed to reading and I have to say the narrator is excellent and he totally draws you into the character of Matthew to such an extinct that you feel it is actually Matthew narrating the story.
Matt Holmes is a 19 year old schizophrenic struggling within the mental health system who decides to put his thoughts to paper when his Nana buys him an old typewriter and hopes his scribbling and notes will be therapeutic and bring him some freedom.
I have an illness, a disease with the shape and sound of a snake. Whenever I learn something new it learns it too.......................My illness knows everything I know.
The story is an unsettling and yet important one and really makes you think about the difficult subject of mental illness and the struggles of patients and families. I believe the author worked in this field himself and therefore had a good insight into the topic he choose to write about.
It is by no means an uplifting story but it definitely is worth reading. It may not be everyone's cup of tea but I think if you have a look at the reviews and do choose to read it you will not be disappointed.
This would make a good book club read as there is plenty of discussion in it. I loved the cover and the title of this book and will buy a copy as would like to have it to read another time.… (more)