Depression: A Public Feeling Paperback – November 5, 2012

Daring because Cvetkovich displays her journey in depression through memoire. In the first half of the book, she dares to expose herself as well as challenge the types of works and experiences considered "academic." Theoretical because in the second half, the author explores concepts such as political depression and the utopia of daily living that can be tools to understand and navigate the world. And practical because Cvetkovich speaks directly to the very students (the most likely audience) reading her book. It is a unique and affirming experience to read scholarly work that could come right from your own journal. In addition to personally identifying with the work, since the author is writing in the future tense, readers can also benefit from Cvetkovich's ways of understanding and dealing with what can be debilitating sadness.

I really liked this book, even though it was a difficult read at times. I liked the perspective that depression is partly a consequence of the environment, specifically social/political oppression. This book validated my own struggles as a woman and my discovery that depression and self-harm are epidemic in today's youth.

I've been very moved by reading this book. So much to learn about depression, affect studies, and creativity from a really original scholar with a superb writing style. Highly recommended---literally, in that I just told one of my students to read it and said the same thing to my partner last night. It's one of those books that generates word-of-mouth enthusiasm, perhaps because it's so illuminating and thoughtful in its merging of memoir and traditional scholarship.

This book is a stunning example of the potential of affect theory for cultural studies and academia in general. It's beautifully written and lovely to read, refreshingly sensitive in its analysis of Medieval thought, and an utter tour de force in its new perspective on depression and contemporary life.

A very smart e,exploration of depression and psychic pain for queers, academics, and others who have found previous models lacking. It's theoretically sound yet easily accessible. it's grounded in theory and material reality. It is one I'll revisit often.

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This book complicates everything we thought we knew about depression, and particularly its medicalization by the all powerful pharma industry. So many pop culture books succeed because they package ideas in a conceptually simple and thus marketable form, and for sure 'Depression' isn't one of them. If you want a nuanced, carefully researched, and complex analysis of the condition, read this. If you want the intellectual equivalent of pill popping, then it won't be for you.