{"product_id":"the-lives-they-left-behind-9781934137147","title":"The Lives They Left Behind","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe acclaimed portrait of institutionalized patients whose abandoned possessions recall their forgotten lives\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A deeply moving testament to the human side of mental illness.” —\u003cb\u003eOliver Sacks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Willard State Hospital closed its doors in 1995, after operating as one of New York State’s largest mental institutions for over 120 years, a forgotten attic filled with suitcases belonging to former patients was discovered. Using the possessions found in these suitcases along with institutional records and doctors’ notes from patient sessions, Darby Penney, a leading advocate of patients’ rights, and Peter Stastny, a psychiatrist and documentary filmmaker, were able to reconstruct the lives of ten patients who resided at Willard during the first half of the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Lives They Left Behind\u003c\/i\u003e tells their story. In addition to these human portraits, the book contains over 100 photographs as well as valuable historical background on how this state-funded institution operated. As it restores the humanity of the individuals it so poignantly evokes, \u003ci\u003eThe Lives They Left Behind\u003c\/i\u003e reveals the vast historical inadequacies of a psychiatric system that has yet to heal itself.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Darby Penney","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43357027303542,"sku":"9781934137147","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/1374\/6550\/files\/CoreSourceHub_31e47b1b-c328-444b-9c77-992fdfa1b798.jpg?v=1777501229","url":"https:\/\/ingramacademic.com\/products\/the-lives-they-left-behind-9781934137147","provider":"Ingram Academic \u0026 Professional","version":"1.0","type":"link"}