THE RIVER MANIC is a startling glimpse into the troubled mind of a broken and seemingly defeated bipolar man. Delivered to a psychiatric ward against his will, author Christopher Palmer is forced to face himself and come to terms with a mental illness he does not fully understand or want to accept. Stunned and frightened by his new-found predicament, Palmer guides the reader on a cognitive journey that is as unsettling as it is informative. Writing with courage and a unique kind of urgency, Palmer succeeds in sharing a rare and insightful look at the illness that is bipolar disorder.