Book cover of Girls and Their Monsters: The Genain Quadruplets and the Making of Madness in America

Book description

For readers of Hidden Valley Road and Patient H.M., an ā€œintimate and compassionate portraitā€ (Grace M. Cho) of the Genain quadruplets, the harrowing violence they experienced, and its psychological and political consequences, from the author of The Unfit Heiress.

In 1954, researchers at the newly formed National Institute of Mental…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked Girls and Their Monsters as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Okay, this one is definitely not light reading (trigger warning for just about any type of abuse you can think of) but Girls and their Monsters was an amazingly well-written and researched book that covers so much about how mental illness has been treated in the US throughout the decades.

It follows the story of four sisters all eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and brings you into their world through all the good and bad to the point that (even with the heavy topics) I managed to get this one back to the library within a few days of checking it…

The Genain Sisters were the most famous case history in psychiatric genetics, and to this day are held up as proof of the supposed genetic basis of those conditions called ā€œmental illness.ā€ But, in fact, their sad story ended up revealing far more about the arrogance and willful blindness of its chroniclers than it did about its purported subjects.Ā 

If you love Girls and Their Monsters...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancĆ©, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Want books like Girls and Their Monsters?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 98 books like Girls and Their Monsters.

Browse books like Girls and Their Monsters

Book cover of How to Build a Healthy Brain: Reduce stress, anxiety and depression and future-proof your brain
Book cover of The Gift: 14 Lessons to Save Your Life
Book cover of A Guilty Secret

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,340

readers submitted
so far, will you?

šŸ“š If you like Girls and Their Monsters, you might also like...

Book cover of Miami Beat

Miami Beat by Jorge E. Goyanes,

Jose Castillo is a cynical, wise-cracking Cuban-American who restores classic cars. He’s also a private eye whose sarcastic ways sometimes get him into trouble.

One day, in the process of installing a four-barrel carburetor on a 1965 Mustang, into his shop walks trouble—in the shape of a mysterious, beautiful woman…

Book cover of Bruce Songs: The Music of Bruce Springsteen, Album-by-Album, Song-by-Song

Bruce Songs by Kenneth Womack,

Bruce Songs is an authoritative guide that offers an in-depth exploration of Bruce Springsteen's musical legacy. Covering Springsteen's entire discography, from "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." to "Only the Strong Survive", this unique book combines historical context, literary analysis, and meticulous research.

Unlike any other resource, it provides detailed analyses…

5 book lists we think you will like!