Kenneth Nixon Jr. plainly explains his childhood in Born Into Crisis. From start to finish, he has survived and conquered many trials. He leaves nothing out while detailing the abuse of his childhood. Along the way, he gives advice on handling loved ones suffering from mental health issues. His own mom suffered from them, which is why he became an advocate for mental health. Finally, he tells his story of overcoming great odds to have healthy relationships. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Expertly written and easy to read. I, unfortunately, can relate to a lot of his childhood trauma. His advice and tips for helping those struggling with mental health issues are accurate. He is very knowledgeable about how to handle his mental health issues as well as others. His childhood is very similar to mine. The emotional, mental, and physical abuse that he went through at a young age is comparable to what I went through. His messed-up childhood takes place mainly in Arlington, Virginia. From poor parenting to a parent with bipolar disorder, he lets the reader know just how stressful life can be.

Throughout everything, he ultimately maintains hope and becomes a parent himself. I found this book to be dramatic, informational, and thrilling. I appreciate how plainly he explains the trauma he went through. He doesn’t over-exaggerate anything or make it overly dramatic. He calmly tells his story as though he has done it a thousand times. Which he probably has due to therapy. Hardships like his can either make or break a man. Truly broken men don’t write memoirs. His entire book is written like he was speaking. He mentions his ADHD, and you can tell from his writing style that he wrote the book to be like he was speaking. There were several mannerisms in his writing that, on a side note, were quite comical. He goes in-depth with all of the mental health issues he discusses. It was a truly fascinating story to read. 

Pages: 232 | ISBN: 1950476561