My Lobotomy

My Lobotomy, by Howard Dully

This is definitely not a "feel good" read. It was, however, interesting, frustrating, and satisfying. As you might guess from the title, this book tells the true story of Howard, who at age 12 (12!) was given a lobotomy at the demands of his stepmother..

The book starts with a long backstory about his mother's and father's families and background. They came from two very different social backgrounds, but were happy until she died after giving birth to her third son. Howard was the oldest child, and was a bit of a troublemaker -- nothing terrible, but just your average boy. His father eventually remarried Lou, a woman with a son of her own, and she and Howard just never got along. She blamed him for everything, even when it wasn't his fault. She became convinced something was wrong with him, and took him to tons of doctors and psychiatrists to try and figure it out.

She finally took him to Dr. Charles Freeman, who was a "pioneer" in the lobotomy business. All I can say is "Thank God that's not a real medical option anymore." He was most famous for developing the technique where he took two ice picks, inserted them through the eye sockets (OMG!) and moved them around enough to mess up the front part of the brain. It usually wasn't fatal, and was supposed to help people suffering from emotional disorders.

The book goes on to tell about the rest of Howard's life -- he lives in an insane asylum, becomes a drug addict, marries a few different women, becomes homeless, and, in general, has a really shitty life. He finally meets a woman who helps him turn his life around, and in his mid-50s, he starts digging and trying to find out WHY he'd had the lobotomy.

While I can't say this book was always enjoyable, the story behind this man's life, combined with the story of Dr. Freeman is one that I'm glad I read.

©2007, Three Rivers Press
ISBN 978-0-307-38127-9