Cassie Barrett, an alcoholic is in a mental hospital. Many of her experiences are recalled. This book delves into her thinking mind, and I was able to identify with it so well! ( )

I have never read anything by this author before. This was her first novel and if it's anything to judge by she had great things ahead of her. It was written in 1977 and tells the story of Cassie, an alcoholic who ends up in a psychiatric ward. Cassie is a wife and mother of three and is in her early 30s. She is witty and intelligent and I thought she was very likable although if I had to deal with her as a drunk I probably wouldn't have liked her. Throughout the book she analyzes her feelings and by the end is able to make decisions that will enable her to stay sober. I would recommend this book for anyone who has ever dealt with alcoholism either personally or in friends or family.

One of my favourite passages from the book:
Life in the psychiatric ward bears a certain resemblance to an ocean cruise. After three days connections with the real world become ambiguous. Within a week we become totally detached from the problems, pressures, people, places, and things that supposedly caused us to crack up or shut down or go bananas or do whatever it is we did that caused society, our near and dear ones, and the medical profession to rise up as one and shout, "Hey, you with the crying jags and confusional delusional despair. You are a fruitcake!"

There was apparently a movie made of this book with Natalie Wood as Cassie. I haven't seen it but that seems like an excellent casting choice. ( )

I read this in high school & I remember that I liked it very much at the time. I just can't remember what it was about. I think Natalie Wood played the title character in the movie version though. ( )