William Styron's classic about his experience of depression is the first selection discussed by the store's book club. The work is remarkable from several viewpoints, including the beauty of the writing, his remarkable command of the language. He offers insight that our choice of language for mental illness does disservice to those who suffer from it, but the true value of the book is to make more "visible" an experience that is otherwise unknowable to those not afflicted.

The word "depression" is akin to a state of mind that all of us have known, that is, sadness. But there are those who have suffered a profound and extreme form of "melancholia", and much of Styron's work is to argue that those who have not experienced this have no way to truly comprehend the nature and the depths of such pain.  In this lack of understanding lies the seeds of stigma.

Another feature of the work is the author's knowledge of, and sometimes association with, a long list of creative and talented people who have suffered from, and sometimes died from, depression. His reflections about how others respond to a suicide is worth study for anyone who has lost a loved one to this illness.

The author's self-study into possible causes or contibuting factors to depression is thoughtful and impressively comprehensive. His description of his journey through treatment should be informative to both those seeking help and those providing it.

The book club discussion of Styron's work offered split opinion about how hopeful one could be after reading the book. Darkness Visible does take the reader to a very dark place in the human experience, but it is ultimately about recovery and restoration. At the very least is it must reading for those in certain helping professions and informs anyone who wishes to know.