The prose is often beautiful, if harrowing, and readers will have sympathy for Joiner’s utter determination to find a way to live with her condition… An affecting, honest memoir useful to anyone trying to understand life with psychosis.
– Kirkus Review (read full review)
Reading Sherry Goes Sane was a literary and emotional experience. So many memoirs tell the juicy and often tragic stuff, but never get us to the point where the heroine is healthy and thriving. Sherry does this — she’s a role model for anyone struggling with a mental health disorder as well as those on the outside looking in. I’m always looking for books to give my friends in the mental health world — but they are all so depressing. This one isn’t. It’s shocking — fun — irreverent and ultimately life affirming. I felt better after reading Sherry’s story.
Unlike few memoirs I’ve read, Sherry Joiner has turned her potentially tragic story into art.
— Julie A. Fast, Best Selling Mental Health Author
Sherry Goes Sane is a remarkable journal documenting Sherry Joiner’s passage from the initial diagnosis in her teens, through the dark jungle of psychosis to a point where she has developed a mastery of her condition and her life. I have been privileged to accompany her on this journey over the last twenty-five years.
Her book is a beacon of hope for others who suffer similar challenges as well as for their families, and is a wonderful testimony to the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
— Ward Tolbert Smith, MD
This was one of THE BEST books I have ever read! From the very beginning I was pulled in and taken on a magnificent journey viewed through the eyes of a woman who lives with Schizoaffective Disorder and who is a brilliant artist. This book is a work of art. The words are written in such a way it feels as though you are riding them. Between the family drama, the mental illness, song lyrics, and mental institutions it is a must read for any and all who love to see “life” from all perspectives. Hope and inspiration are but two gifts you will gain from reading this book. Happy Reading to all!
— Jeana Wheeler
This is a remarkable, entertaining, inspirational true story. Highly recommended. I laughed, I cried, I took the time to go on line and write this review.
– Amanda Fritz
Sherry’s story is unlike most autobiographies. And that’s what makes it so good! She doesn’t sugar coat anything and shares the good with the bad — which makes for an incredibly moving story that takes the reader along for a ride. As you read you feel her fear, pain, joy, and confusion. And you feel her confidence emerge as she learns to manage her illness. I highly recommend this book for family members and loved ones of persons with serious mental illness, and anyone looking for insights into how someone can not only cope with schizo-affective disorder but learn to thrive and have a full and enriching life. Sherry is an inspiration and I’m so glad she was courageous enough to share her story.
– The Myers Fam
Everyone who has or knows anyone that has a mental disorder should read this book. A very inspirational true story. Sherry is very candid and blows you away. She is a remarkable example of someone who fought the odds and is winning.
– sadiejo3932
Sherry Goes Sane is such a brave, bold and candid book about living with mental illness. It is people like Sherry who bravely shed light and raise awareness by telling their truth and teaching us more about mental health. I have been blessed to meet Sherry in real life and see her as a true pioneer in her own right. By reading from her book and speaking with her I am learning to deal with the mental illness in my own family and assist in my own education so that I may help break barriers and erase stigmas. I am grateful each and every time someone like her speaks out, as we can all benefit.
A good read for those living with a diagnosis, their family members and loved ones, and for anybody living in our world. We can all use the insight.
– Lisa Lashbrook
It isn’t easy to walk in someone else’s shoes…no matter how much you think you understand there are always aspects that escaped you. Sherry Goes Sane is a disturbing and complicated look into the life of someone with mental illness. It is disturbing because it opens up a window to experiences and struggles the writer had over most of her life. Hats off to Ms. Joiner! It can’t have been easy to write such a personal memoir, but until people have a better understanding of the problems and needs of those with mental illness, we, as a society, will not move forward in providing the treatment and facilities to ease their pain.
– Diane E. Rulien
This is the most fascinating memoir I’ve ever read. It’s about a woman’s quest for mental health. Sherry takes you through her difficult childhood, to developing mental illness, and through her journey to achieve a healthy lifestyle. She brings an end to hospitalizations and delusional thinking by finding psychiatric counseling and a medication regimen that works for her. She gives anyone who has suffered from a mental health disorder hope that you can live a creative and productive life. Sherry goes on to become a gifted artist, a lecturer, and a writer after decades of mental anguish. It’s a phoenix rising out of the ashes story and it’s not fictional. It’s a true story and written in a colorful style.
– Theresa LoMonaco
The book is available as a trade paperback and as a Kindle ebook.
Arts and Writing by Sherry 