Review by Erin Wilson

Aalinna, a young sociable woman, discovers after the tragic death of her best friend that she has bipolar disorder. The death not only brings out Aalinna’s condition but also causes the families to slowly crumble under the weight of sadness and guilt. Lamia guides the reader through the various challenges in Aalinna’s personal life, highlighting how bipolar disorder complicates not only her life but also the lives of her friends and family. Relationships are tested, and family bonds can either fray or strengthen. The book is set within a close-knit Bangladeshi family, with Aalinna in the spotlight.

Although Aalinna struggles, she faces every challenge with determination. After being diagnosed with dyslexia, she decided to read even more to educate herself. Aalinna makes numerous inspirational statements throughout the book. She attended group therapy sessions and observed, “Here were smart and functioning people taking pills, too. They were out in the world doing great things with full and busy days, but they needed medication for the rest of their lives as well.”

As Aalinna begins to truly understand herself and her bipolar disorder, she makes a very difficult decision. After giving birth to her daughter, she realized the bond was not forming, so she sought therapy alone in the USA. It’s a heartbreaking decision, yet a powerful example of Aalinna’s determination to be honest and work through her situation.

Life is Beautiful is Lamia Islam’s “baby.” In a lunch interview, Lamia said, “This was my way of telling my family and the community that I have bipolar disorder.” Writing about one’s personal mental health issues publicly is not an easy task, yet Lamia is determined to share her experiences to help others in Dhaka. She hopes that others can see and identify the normality of mental health struggles and be encouraged to seek help

Lamia’s storytelling is straightforward and clear. Each step, thought, and feeling of the character is shared so that the reader can understand the confusion and frustration of living with bipolar disorder. Lamia doesn’t just tell the reader about bipolar disorder; she shows her strength and determination to live in each moment and emphasizes that it’s okay to seek help. Writing this book, despite fearing who would read her story, is another act of courage. She knew her family did not approve of the book and did not allow it in the house once it was printed. They did not want her to air their “dirty laundry.” Yet, this book has been translated into 21 languages. Lamia’s books are an inspiration.

Conversation with the author: 

At Dhaka Flow, a local festival celebrating mindfulness in 2023, I walked by Lamia’s table where Chenoa handed me the book and introduced me to Lamia. Since it was gifted to me, I felt compelled to read it, and I’m grateful for that serendipitous moment. Despite the topic being taboo, I enjoyed the book immensely. It was a well-paced story that addressed mental health with a positive and hopeful ending. I decided that this book needs to be in my school library, and the counselors need to be aware of it as well. It would be a wonderful story to share with anyone who doubts the power of seeking help and therapy.

I wanted to meet Lamia and understand her writing processes and inspirations. I was fortunate to visit her very peaceful and welcoming home for brunch with Chenoa. She immediately began warmly sharing her life story, including her diagnosis of bipolar disorder and the personal stigma it brought to her and her family. She has faced many struggles with her family, who advised her not to share their “dirty laundry” with the public. However, she feels passionate that sharing her story will help others. In fact, her first book, This Life is Beautiful, was her way of coming out about having bipolar disorder. Her bravery mixed with passion will continue to fuel her writing on mental health so that anyone seeking help will know they are not alone. Her goal is to have her books published abroad to reach a larger audience and share her experiences.

Title Information: This Life is Beautiful

Author: Lamia Islam

Editor: Gabriel Headington

ISBN: 9780997566710

Date: 2016

Publisher: Self published

Language: English

Author Bio: Lamia Islam

Having for many years been a passionate lover of books, Lamia decided to take upon herself the task of becoming a published and recognised author.

As such, her first major step into the world of publishing comes with the hit book, This Life Is Beautiful which, she hopes, will help others who are also struggling with their own bipolar disorder.

“Even if only one person ever reads this book and it helps, I will have accomplished what I set out to do.” – Lamia Islam

Website: https://lamiaislam.com/

Reviewer Bio:

Erin Wilson currently works as a Teacher Librarian in Dhaka, Bangladesh and has worked internationally for 10 years in the following countries; China, India, and now Bangladesh. She has vast experience working in diverse cultures from Native American students to inner-city students and the international community. Her other passion lies in studying Asian dances. Currently she is focused on Odissi classical dance, and uses this dance vocabulary for storytelling in the library to actively engage children. It’s never boring in the library. 

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Opinions expressed in posts on this site are the individual author’s and are not indicative of the views of Global Literature in Libraries Initiative.