Good for Gordon
My Latest Book
Living Better (Paperback)
How I Learned To Survive Depression
by
Alastair Campbell
"Superbly readable, supremely useful. This book could save lives."
– Stephen Fry
LIVING BETTER is Alastair Campbell’s honest, moving and life affirming account of his lifelong struggle with depression. It is an autobiographical, psychological and psychiatric study, which explores his own childhood, family and other relationships, and examines the impact of his professional and political life on himself and those around him. But it also lays bare his relentless quest to understand depression not just through his own life but through different treatments. Every bit as direct and driven, clever and candid as he is, this is a book filled with pain, but also hope - he examines how his successes have been in part because of rather than despite his mental health problems - and love. His partner of forty years, Fiona Millar, writes a moving afterword on how she too has learned to live with his depression.
Depression is the predominant mental health problem worldwide - it is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem and major depression is thought to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. LIVING BETTER is a call to arms and an extraordinary memoir in one compelling and inspiring narrative. This is a book that really could save lives.
Alastair Campbell says: ‘We all know someone with depression. There is barely a family untouched by it. We may be talking about it more than we did, back in the era of 'boys don't cry' - they did you know - and when a brave face or a stiff upper lip or a best foot forward was seen as the only way to go. But we still don't talk about it enough. There is still stigma, and shame, and taboo. There is still the feeling that admitting to being sad or anxious makes us weak. It took me years, decades even to get to this point, but I passionately believe that the reverse is true and that speaking honestly about our feelings and experiences (whether as a depressive or as the friend or relative of a depressive) is the first and best step on the road to recovery.’
great Vlog, thank you. Agree re Clegg. The objective should be to make it easier for the public to vote for the person they believe will deliver the vision they want. Not sure that having a 3 way debate is going to help that process.
PMQs was fairly lively as you said in your tweet, but Gordon should not just go on about figures, but beliefs. I thought his tribute to Michael Foot was flat and he did not react fast enough to Cameron going off on one first about the military being Tories and then the one about the Tories winning the Cold War. I dread to think what your old boss would have done with that one … Cameron would be somewhere near Big Ben right now
Expectations for Gordon low. Cameron too glib for a long series of exchanges but Clegg will give him breathing space. Btw, ever thought of transcribing the vlogs and putting the words on the blog??
I realise we live in an Orwellian state where the truth is what Big Brother Brown says it is regardless of the evidence, so maybe I’m entirely missing the point but you’ve twice in videos said that his record is a positive. I’m going to resist the temptation to do the wide-ranging list thing and just ask how you can see the record on his relationship with the military as good for Gordon. Eminent military personnel, senior civil servants and even a coroner have all come out directly and indirectly referring to the inadequate backing the forces received from the PM when he was Chancellor. Isn’t the voter likely to disregard the PM’s protests to the contrary and conclude that these numerous and consistent data points evidence an appalling record in relation to the military? How is that a positive?
I have rejoined the Labour Party largely because of these blogs. I was a member around 1997 and worked at the count in Stonehaven – one of the best nights of my life. It may seem odd but I have a similar feeling as pre 1997 win. I think Gordon is coming into form at just the right time and I think Cameron will be shown up in the debates. There is a change in the air – it’s all to play for.
I’ve just watched the snippet of PMQ’s which is linked to at the Labour List blog as “Cameron loses his rag”. This is the part about the funding for the troops in Afghanistan.
Cameron gets very red in the face and looks a bit ridiculous, but Brown remains absolutely calm and in control of what he is saying.
In that situation Brown is the clear winner. In the TV debates I feel that it would be great if Brown utilises his ability to remain calm.