Never Simple

Scheier steps away from her work in editing and publishing to release her own memoir that blends dark humor with heartache. The work seems to come from Scheier’s need to reflect upon and accept her relationship with an overbearing mother, who haunted every developmental stage of the author’s life. How does one love and fear the person they are closest to?, Scheier asks. Her rich imagery and engaging prose will keep readers turning the pages as she recounts growing up in 1990s Manhattan with a mother who had borderline personality disorder. Scheier shares her and her mother’s stories with care and reflects on her life as a child and now, as a parent. Readers who have lived in New York City, are members of Generation X, or grew up in an environment tinged with mental illness will find much to relate to in this memoir; those who are intrigued by family secrets will want to keep up with the unknown diagnoses and identities that unravel within.