When Sybil
Exposed was first published in hardcover in October 2011, it was praised as
a “dazzling exposé” by More magazine, “a gripping history of crackpot
psychiatry” by People magazine, and “riveting, thought-provoking and a
quick read…impossible to put down” by The Oregonian (Portland).
Now available for the first time in paperback, SYBIL EXPOSED: The
Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case (Free
Press; June 12, 2012; $16.00) offers a new perspective on the hugely
popular classic book, Sybil, the film of the same name starring Sally
Field and Joanne Woodward, and on multiple personality disorder itself.
For
many, the name “Sybil” is synonymous with multiple personality disorder—a
diagnosis that came into our collective consciousness when Sybil, the
book, was published in 1973. Selling more than six million copies
worldwide and prompting the television movie starring Field and Woodward, this
dramatic non-fiction account of a woman with 16 multiple personalities was not
only a pop culture phenomenon, it was a revolutionary force in the therapeutic
industry. Before Sybil, there had been less than 200 known cases
of multiple personality disorder in history; afterwards, approximately 40,000
in just a few years! In SYBIL EXPOSED, award-winning journalist Debbie
Nathan offers definitive proof that the supposedly true story depicted in the
book and film was a total sham and reveals the true story behind the
women who fabricated it.
Using recently opened archives at John Jay College to piece together the truth about
Sybil—whose real name was Shirley Mason—Nathan reveals that what really powered the legend was a trio of women: a willing patient, her devoted shrink (Dr. Connie Wilbur), and the ambitious journalist (Flora Schreiber) who spun their story into bestseller gold. Nathan followed an enormous trail of papers, medical records,
photos, and tapes; called in forensic experts; and travelled the country
visiting Shirley’s childhood homes, interviewing her family and friends, the hospitals
where the women worked, and Dr. Wilbur’s former patients and colleagues, to
unearth the lives of these three women and tell the real tale. In
addition to weaving an extraordinary—and authenticated—story, Nathan discovered
that what Shirley most likely suffered from was a medical condition that
properly diagnosed and treated, could have saved her years of mental
anguish.
In SYBIL EXPOSED, Debbie Nathan reveals:
Sybil did not come into therapy with multiple personalities; the case was a perfect
storm of a patient who was easily suggestible and wanted attention; a doctor
who was keen to “discover” something big; and a journalist who wanted notoriety
at a time when magazine pieces were often embellished How she deduced the actual—and treatable—physical illness that probably caused
Sybil’s original mental problems
The unorthodox therapy practices performed by Dr. Connie Wilbur, from climbing into
bed with her patient to administer electroshock therapy to subjecting Sybil to
scores of addicting drugs now widely known to provoke fantasies
How she proved with forensic evidence that a journal Sybil supposedly kept in her
teens had actually been written at least 15 years later, and was most likely
created to convince author Flora Schreiber that Sybil was suffering from MPD
That while the book’s Sybil had a happy ending, the real Sybil—Shirley
Mason—ended up largely indigent, staying under cover in fear of her identity being
discovered, and living with Dr. Wilbur
How women in the 1970s—with their newfound sexual freedom and changing, often
conflicting social roles—identified with Sybil’s multiple personalities and
were more apt to believe a story with such mythic qualities; and
Why we need to be cautious about new diagnoses and therapies, particularly in the
treatment of women.
A spellbinding psychiatric detective story, SYBIL EXPOSED is a fascinating
portrait not just of the pop culture phenomenon but of the complex psychological
factors that primed the nation to receive it.
Debbie Nathan has been a journalist, editor, and translator for almost three decades. Her work has won numerous national and regional awards, including: the H.L. Mencken Award for Investigative Journalism, PEN West Award for Journalism, the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Feature Journalism, and the John Bartlow Martin
Award for Public Service. Her work has been published in outlets as
varied as Redbook, The Nation, Ms., Playboy, The Texas Observer, The New
York Times, and Vibe, and she has been featured on such national
television programs as Larry King and Phil Donahue, as well as the
Academy Award-nominated documentary, Capturing the Friedmans. Born
and raised in Houston, she is currently lives in Texas and in New York City
with her husband, and is the mother of two grown children.
SYBIL EXPOSED: The Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case
Debbie Nathan • Free Press • June 12, 2012 •
320 pages • $16.00 • 9781439168288
eBook: 978-439168295
The 411 by Maria
I was obsessed with this book and movie with Sally Field. As a big Sally fan and horrified that this had happened to someone just destroyed me. When I heard about this book, I had to read it. I had to know what was real and what was fabricated. I read the book so many times as a teen and saw the movie at least 50 times. To know I may have lost sleep over something that was embellished on just didn't sit well with me.
The author takes us on a journey to dissect the best selling book! It is a disturbing read but one that should be read especially if you were affected by the book or movie Sybil.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for the sole purpose of this review.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for the sole purpose of this review.
This review must be incredibly disheartening to those who were severely traumatized as children. It must also be disheartening to those, like myself, who have done some fact-checking of Nathan's work.
ReplyDeleteAs unfortunate as the result might be, I think Nathan has discovered something about us. Frame your work as an "expose" and readers will believe what you say and be suitably shocked.
Sounds intriguing. I'd love to read both sides of the story and make up my own mind.
ReplyDelete