ABOUT YOU’RE TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND
Born to a Russian immigrant father scarred by the trauma of WWII and a mother silently battling schizophrenia, Sjaastad was thrust into chaos from a young age. This powerful memoir traces her journey from a childhood steeped in instability to the hard-earned healing of adulthood. With grace and vulnerability, she invites readers into a world where caring for the very people who failed to protect you becomes an act of reclamation.
Shedding light on the complexities of parental mental health and generational trauma, Liz shares the story of a life led despite the fears of “becoming her parents,” and how she showed up for her parents—and herself—when it was needed most.
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ENDORSEMENTS
“Sjaastad bares her soul in this beautifully written book. How she copes is a lesson for us all. I strongly recommend this book.”
—Mindy Greiling, former state legislator and author of Fix What You Can: Schizophrenia and a Lawmaker’s Fight for Her Son
“This is a book of tiptoes on eggshells. Yet, it is a book of deep beauty: the delicate look back into Sjaastad’s past reveals moments of love and a few clues into the mysteries of her parents.”
—Nicole Helget, author of Stillwater and The End of the Wild
“That is the task in this powerful and moving memoir: understanding the humanity of our parents. A must-read for those of us with aging parents or loved ones with mental illness.”
—Xavier Amador, PhD, author of I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help!: How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment
“Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, Sjaastad offers the possibility that even without much in the way of a parental roadmap, we can still find our way to love and forgiveness.”
—Laura Flynn, author of Swallow the Ocean
