Hidden Valley Road – Robert Kolker

At one time the Galvins were described as “the most mentally ill family in America.” For a little more than a decade starting in the 1960s, six out of the 12 children would receive a schizophrenia diagnosis, but all family members felt the impact – and those alive still do.

In “Hidden Valley Road,” Robert Kolker provides an unflinching account of how mental illness, in many ways, destroyed this family. From secrets and shame to sexual abuse, rape and murder, the Galvins experienced enough tragedy to last lifetimes and struggled to keep up appearances of living the American Dream will imploding.

First and foremost, this is a remarkable piece of journalism that highlights the best of the craft: meticulous research, compelling narratives, well-rounded depictions of the individuals profiled and presenting information with editorializing.

Kolker was able to keep a level of detachment to the subject, which is no small feat considering the “100 hours of interviews” with the living Galvin family members and medical researchers, plus scouring countless records and dense scientific studies.

In many ways he became the 13th Galvin child, as invested in uncovering the “why” behind schizophrenia as much as the family, many of whom have spent decades giving time, interviews and medical samples in a quest to help uncover the mysteries behind, and successful treatments for, schizophrenia.

But becoming this invested in a topic can also be a detriment. Like Kate Moore’s “The Radium Girls” and Erik Larson’s “Thunderstruck,” Kolker sometimes didn’t know when to move on.

To provide a rounded view of 50+ years of familial strife or centuries of medical debate, the story sometimes felt bloated and repetitive. So, while I found it captivating, it’s not for the casual reader or occasional nonfictioner.

While split into two concurrent narratives – the Galvin family and the scientific and medical communities – I think most people will be drawn to the human element, making the chapters focused on psychiatry more of a chore.

What propelled me throughout, was the honesty and candor of the Galvin family. It seemed for the children, specifically the two sisters, finally sharing the truth of what happened was cathartic. These women were tormented the most by what was happening yet received little support or acknowledgement from their parents.

The fact that Kolker was able to build the trust needed so the Galvins felt comfortable sharing the darkest components of their family history cannot be understated. Through the Galvins, “Road” is somewhat a story of American at its best and worst. It can be frustrating and challenging, but also resilient and hopeful.

Audio is probably the best format for most readers given the difficult and dense subject matter. Sean Pratt provides the right amount of gravitas to honor the nonfiction aspect of the story but allows emotion to creep in when it should.

Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars

Rating (narration): 4/5

Formats: Audiobook (library loan)

Dates read: February 4 - 8, 2021

Multi-tasking: Good to go.