A dual memoir written by two lifelong friends who began working as mental health nurses in a large psychiatric facility in the 1970s. Their vivid recollections describe the intense, unsettling, and often poignant world they encountered behind institutional walls, after entering the profession almost by accident. In a time when psychiatric hospitals were overcrowded, underfunded, and governed by rigid routines, they also provided safety and a sense of community for long-term residents with nowhere else to go. At times both touching and humorous, their stories depict the harsh realities of institutional life, but also the moments of kindness and the difference that a caring approach could make. As their careers evolved, both narrators bore witness to changing attitudes towards mental illness as the provision of care moved from asylums towards community-based services. The emotional burden of their work could be all but overwhelming, but they found resilience in the friendships they formed and the determination to care for the vulnerable people that needed them. Charting the course of how society defines and handles mental illness, this is both a historical document and a testament to camaraderie and compassion.
