In this heartfelt memoir from one of the youngest recipients of the transorbital lobotamy, Howard Dully shares the story of a painfully dysfunctional childhood, a misspent youth, his struggle to claim the life that was taken from him, and his redemption.At twelve, Howard Dully was guilty of the same crimes as other boys his age: he was moody and messy, rambunctious with his brothers, contrary … his brothers, contrary just to prove a point, and perpetually at odds with his parents. Yet somehow, this normal boy became one of the youngest people on whom Dr. Walter Freeman performed his barbaric transorbital—or ice pick—lobotomy.
Abandoned by his family within a year of the surgery, Howard spent his teen years in mental institutions, his twenties in jail, and his thirties in a bottle. It wasn’t until he was in his forties that Howard began to pull his life together. But even as he began to live the “normal” life he had been denied, Howard struggled with one question: Why?
There were only three people who would know the truth: Freeman, the man who performed the procedure; Lou, his cold and demanding stepmother who brought Howard to the doctor’s attention; and his father, Rodney. Of the three, only Rodney, the man who hadn’t intervened on his son’s behalf, was still living. Time was running out. Stable and happy for the first time in decades, Howard began to search for answers.
Through his research, Howard met other lobotomy patients and their families, talked with one of Freeman’s sons about his father’s controversial life’s work, and confronted Rodney about his complicity. And, in the archive where the doctor’s files are stored, he finally came face to face with the truth.
Revealing what happened to a child no one—not his father, not the medical community, not the state—was willing to protect, My Lobotomy exposes a shameful chapter in the history of the treatment of mental illness. Yet, ultimately, this is a powerful and moving chronicle of the life of one man.
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Excellent book about the consequences of a lobotomy. Sad story, but author hasn’t let this defeat him.
So lucky was he to have survived the procedure. His step-mother was abusive and his father was without a backbone. Heartbreaking story.
Very powerful well written memoir. Would highly recommend it.
Very good book about a sad time in our history. Took it to a personal level!
This is heart rending and yet inspirational. Howard Howard was deeply affected by his experience but he was not destroyed.
Although, true it was tragic . Unbelievable that even though he had many failures , he was not stopped over the several years that he continued to ruin and even take many innocent lives! Thank God that the LOBOTMY done by the author was done at his young age that his life and much of his brain was spared!
This story just blew me away. I didn’t realize this was going on in my lifetime. I thought Lobotomy was from the dark ages.
Tragic but this man didn’t give up!!!
I knew the minute I saw the title I knew that I had to read it! It was definitely eye opening and the author lays it all out for you. A must read!
The story of an amazing man who had a very hard life, but who was able to turn his life around. He is a true survivor.
Step mother from hell. The man in the sky definitely held this young boy in his hands as he grew to adulthood. As an adult, he is a great spokesperson for all of his kindred souls.
I love books based on real life.
Amazing insight to Lobotomy &how they were used with just a signature,by a husband,parent or legal Guardian. Now I know why one of my clients was given one!A teacher of Spanish, & an early menopause with all the symptoms of hormonal in balance, her husband signed her off. She never taught again,couldn’t remember what happened for years,truly …
Family drama — when dad remarries, his new wife develops a hatred for his son which eventually leads to scheduling a lobotomy for him. The good news — he pulled his life together and lived a good life in spite of that. Unlike so many, including Rosemary Kennedy.
So many questions remain unanalyzed and unanswered in this story; it would be …
I really enjoyed this book and found the whole story very interesting. I feel so sorry for this young boy that was never understood. I couldn’t believe some of the things the doctor believed in.
wonderfully witen book gives great inight into how the mind woks (or doesn’t)
A sad look at the story of an abused child who is lobotomized.
This book is a memoir of a man who was given a lobotomy at 12 years. Amazingly, he went on to live s full and relatively normal, though in the short term tragic, life. Hard to put down.
Very sad to think this could happen to a 12 yr old
Read 2.21.2021