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What Disturbs Our Blood: A Son's Quest To Redeem The Past
By James FitzGerald
Random House Canada, 2010
A withdrawn boy is born into the Toronto home of his late grandfather. a brilliant yet tormented pathologist of Irish blood. LIke his friends Banting and Best, Dr. John Gerald FitzGerald was a Canadian hero. His vaccines saved untold lives, and he transformed the idea of public health in Canada and the world. What so darkened his reputation that his memory has been all but erased?
As the boy watches his own father, also an eminent doctor, plunge into a suicidal psychosis, he intuits some unspeakable secret buried deep in the family unconscious. Growing into manhood, he knows that he must stalk an ancient curse before it stalks him. To set himself free, he must break the silence and put words to the page. His future lies in the past.AWARDSLong-listed for CBC's 2012 "Canada Reads" Competition
### CRITICAL RESPONSES TO "WHAT DISTURBS OUR BLOOD""The emotional chilliness of early twentieth century Toronto is blended with a tragic story of brilliant scientists and physicians doomed to madness, in journalist James FitzGerald's memoir, What Disturbs Our Blood. In this quest, rendered with poetic intensity of feeling, FitzGerald investigates the suicide of his grandfather, a titan of public health in the history of Toronto, and its effect on his father, another distinguished medical man, and on the author himself. Never maudlin or melodramatic, FitzGerald's book is a masterpiece of its genre, the chronicle of family secrets unearthed and healing attained."
Judges' Citation, 2011 B.C. Award For Canadian Non-Fiction(Philip Marchand, Noah Richler & Alma Lee)
"James FitzGerald's What Disturbs Our Blood is a brave and compelling journey into the world of mental illness, and a riveting look at the father-son divides in a family of talented over-achievers. While plumbing the depths of one family's tragedy, FitzGerald manages to tie in important Canadian medical discoveries, two world wars and the history of Ireland in an ambitious yet riveting narrative. In heartfelt, lively and meticulously researched prose, he links the personal to the political. Following the lead of Sigmund Freud, he dares to stare unblinkingly into the sun and honestly examine the troubled father-son relationships that have plagued his family line. In the end, his ghosts bid him farewell and leave him free to walk his own path."
Judges' Citation, 2010 Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize(Hadani Ditmars, Sid Marty & Michael Mitchell)"A memoir of extraordinary power and candour...as riveting as a crime thriller."
Patricia Pearson, Globe and Mail"What Disturbs Our Blood is beautifully orchestrated...It's a roaring, cumulative set-piece, a pageant of hectoring souls...A fascinating, multi-layered history of 20th century medicine and a passionate inquiry into a family's tragedies...It's a banshee of a book..."
Steve Noyes, National Post"What Disturbs Our Blood certainly disturbed mine in many ways, and I thought it was magnificent. I see our country, our city, and my neighbourhood with very different eyes, not to mention our national medical heroes. . .I found potent resonances on every page."
David Cronenberg, film director"Raw, honest, superbly written, but so close to our universal fear of our insanity that it will make some people uncomfortable. Our world is very much ruled by what FitzGerald calls 'the debased intellect', whose primary function is to keep at bay our awareness of 'the ceaseless riot of our inner life.' FitzGerald's discussion of the unconscious mind and its powers is the most succinct and powerful I have ever read."
Dr. Gabor Mate, author of "In The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts""I have never seen such a thorough and relentless treatment of the issues of suicide, addiction and the gothic side of Toronto. . . a remarkable piece of work; count me in as an admirer of this book."
Michael Bliss Emeritus Professor of History University of Toronto"Like James, I was the son of a doctor. Like James' grandfather, my father took his own life. And I know what happened when it happened with me. It was quiet. It wasn't just quiet. There was silence....James' book is telling us: 'Look at this, see this, imagine this, feel this, know this, and act on this.' That's what creative non-fiction can do."
Gordon Campbell former Premier of British Columbia"Beautifully written. . .every phrase so perfectly balanced, perceptions sailing so succinctly and precipitously to the heart of the matter. It's a real joy to read."
Philip Shepherd, author of "New Self, New World: Recovering Our Senses in the 21st Century""An astonishing, gripping, hugely informative book, not only about your personal family history, but about matters of enormous importance to preventive medicine and the University of Toronto. Your grandfather was undoubtedly a hero of medicine, not just in Canada but for the world....an excellent and edifying memorial, shared honestly without any attempt to disguise the flaws..."
Dr. Isaac SakinovskyEmeritus Professor of PsychiatryUniversity of Toronto### For a more detailed synopsis of the book, see the National Magazine Award-winning Toronto Life magazine article "What Disturbs Our Blood"
is also available as an e-book. ##### PRINT REVIEWS & PROFILESRADIO INTERVIEWS
TELEVISION INTERVIEWS
#####
James FitzGerald is available for public talks at reasonable rates
jfitzg@pathcom.comUPCOMING EVENTS * Wed. May 16, 2012: Academy For Lifelong Learning, Innis College, Toronto* Thurs. June 7, 2012, 6:30pm: Deer Park Library, 40 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto#####READER E-MAIL RESPONSES"I feel compelled to write you to tell you how moving I found your book...Words that came to mind as I neared the end were magnificent, emotional, profound, all-consuming, compelling, fascinating and most importantly, courageous..."
Ken F., Lindsay, Ontario"Damn you, James FitzGerald, for invading my dreams with your compulsively readable book. Rarely have I been so completely driven to find out what happens next. Thank you for an all-encompassing document which illuminates the past and explains the present even as it makes the present recede. It is a work of great skill and devotion. And you regularly made me laugh out loud -- 'Methodism in his madness', indeed!"
Rob B., Toronto"I have just put your book down, and feel spent. The book is stunning -- in the research, in the telling, in its aching honesty..."
Denise M., Toronto"...Brilliant, moving, surreal, tragic and in the end, redemptive, a surmounting triumph. What a courageous quest of self-discovery..."
Wally S., Toronto"An absolutely masterful and powerfully moving piece of work. It brought a flood of tears as I read the final chapter. This is an important book on several levels, but what makes it a truly compelling read is your very own voice. Your use of dreams and reverie and your gift for the turning of a phrase -- you did, I think, mention you are of Irish heritage -- make this such an absolutely riveting story and a true piece of art."
Ken L., Toronto"Thanks you for giving me such a gift, for opening so many windows onto major triumphs of Canadian medical history, big pieces of your own life, and for creating a vivid picture of Toronto that resonates with my own experience. It's a triumph of scholarship, and your own spirit, and it is a brave, thorough and deep literary experience..."
Alan W., Iowa City"All I can say is, 'Wow!' For the incredible breath and depth of your research, for your ability to write about an area of such tremendous vulnerability and retain your 'voice', for your beautiful use of language, of adjectives and metaphors (an incredible variety of both), for handling such a senstive and tender subject with such maturity and compassion..."
Michael T., Blue Mountain, Ontario"It is a book unlike any other I have read. It is unique to my experience. You
have created a powerful and deeply personal story which successfully weaves its fabric between many of the usual literary categories -- biography, autobiography, history, mystery and detective tale, mythology, scientific and medical critique. Amazingly you did this both for public health and probably more poignantly for psychiatry and mental health. The way you brought the parallel stories all
together is a clever and skilled literary achievement..."
Don M., Toronto"I just finished your book, but the book isn't finished with me yet! Your story was at points shocking, humourous, poignant, illuminating, educating, depressing and ultimately inspiring...You took the same 'compulsive drive' that ultimately destroyed both your father and grandfather and found a way to channel it into an incredibly important work of literature..."
Mark R., Philadelphia, PA "What Disturbs Our Blood is a great achievement in many dimensions: sheer
power of expression, social history, family drama, personal quest, a tale of how consciousness can transform everything..."
Naya K., Gibsons, B.C."The vastness of your research, the relentlessly absorbing density of your prose,
the thrilling pace of the unfolding mystery, and the sheer beauty of your writing have left me breathless, and illuminated, and moved to tears..."
Mary-Ellen M., Toronto"You have wrought a marvel: so tender and unsentimental in its subjectivity while fierce in its passion to search after the truth of persons whose particularities come alive for us in the light of medical, ethnic and national history...It's the very best showing of the priceless value of psychodynamic therapy I have ever read...This is a book that will endure..."
Phil M., Toronto"I'm almost speechless when trying to express my gratitude and great respect as I read your glorious, agonizing memoir. Placing yourself as the protagonist-observer in this sometimes horrible yet sympathetic saga was a stroke of
genius... You've painfully exposed the vicious ignorance and certainty in the psychiatric milieu of Toronto during the 1950s and '60s...every word is so carefully chosen and your experiences so vividly and soulfully described..."
Dr. Ross M., Toronto"I found out about your book from a friend who told me she had read it almost
straight through, barely able to put it down, except to cry. She told me it was the best book she has ever read. She lent me the book and I too found myself riveted by it. The magnitude of what you have done astounds me. I figure that it is impossible that there are enough people thanking you for your work and your devotion to uncovering the truth. I have the sense that as more people discover it, yet more truth will be uncovered, more than you could possibly fathom..."
Gennie B., Toronto"A remarkable, moving tour de force...you have inspired me immensely and I shall forever be grateful."
Judith C., London, Ontario"I am going to recommend this book to anyone I know who has a brain and a heart. It is a writing that is not for the faint of heart. However, for anyone who understands that it is not the answers to questions that is most important but the very asking of them that makes all the difference, this book will inform, captivate and set many a captive free."
Nancy G., Toronto"You have told your grandfather's story as if you were there, in his polished shoes, and I never doubted a moment of it. You have, in effect given birth to your grandfather. Once released from your cri de coeur, I realized that it's truly a genre-breaker, a unique psycho-history, Totem and Taboo turned on its head. These medical giants devouring their children as they themselves crumble against the backdrop of a country frittering away its talents and achievements. Your book haunts me. I can think of no higher praise."
Mark C., Toronto"A monument to staying and fighting. It is a prodigious and compelling yarn and I was drawn from page to page. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. 'Book' is a woefully inadequate descriptor. I learned more about my country and that time-and-place than I ever thought possible."
George O., North Vancouver, B.C."Dipping into your book is like a treat of very dense food -- I can't digest too much at once. On every page I found a sentence or phrase that rang like poetry, or was just so beautiful I had to read it again. Though non-fiction, the book reads like a fine novel...I never wanted it to end."
Patricia R., Toronto"You have written such a fine book: beautifully thought out and written, memorable, haunting, restorative, evocative. I'm going to read it again because it is so very rich...it is a fine and lasting achievement."
Maryrose O., Toronto"An engrossing and wonderful (and also gut-wrenching) experience. Beautifully written and achingly honest. It took a lot of courage and I feel grateful to you for having summoned it. Your book is harrowing but enriching at the same time. I guess the 'unpardonable sin' is simply succumbing to human fraility."
Mark S., Toronto"I'm trying to avoid cliches, but your book is a monumental achievement. If you dissect those two words, they fit, despite their trite history together. Wow. To echo Shylock, you peel the hide off the academic/scientific Anglo elite, and not just in Toronto. The book also grinds to a puddle on a plate the Protestant ethic of 'grin and bear it' and the 'accepted' solutions when you can't. Your grandfather's letters from the asylum are almost too much. Worse is the silence they generated. You can read What Disturbs Our Blood as autobiography, biography or history, and all are fascinating. And, by the way, you can write with the best of them."
David K., Burlington, Ontario"A magnificent piece of work. I stand in awe of your ease moving backwards and forwards in time, never losing the threads, but pulling them ever-tighter to the inevitable ending... Of all the rest of us, who could examine his or her life with such surgical precision? I found it epic, operatic and gripping throughout. Thank you so much for your generosity."
Ian E., Fergus, Ontario"Your masterfully researched chronicle has overwhelmed my thoughts for days -- your carefully carved words, your study of facts and truth, your profound sense of personal equilibrium in response to the harsh stories you uncovered. This journey speaks to immeasurable sacrifice on your part."
Colin M., Shirley, B.C."Awesomely good writing. You may have gotten too good for non-fiction. It's like an explosion off the page. Maybe it's time to try a novel."
Stephen R., Manila, Philippines"Let me commend you on a superlative piece of personal historiographic writing which illuminates to a compelling degree the traumas existing in each and every family. Your portrait of the Toronto medical community as well as life in Toronto in the 1950s is close to pitch perfect."
Monte M., Toronto"Your writing is exquisite and I felt totally immersed. I felt like I was falling down a deep well into the dark depths of the unconscious...You have made yourself completely vulnerable in the writing of this book, which is now in the hands of the public. You are very brave."
Janice P., Toronto"I'm amazed at what a tremendous feat you have pulled off. Not simply the astounding amount of information you have assimilated -- and disseminated -- but how feelingly and well you have conveyed it. How well you let the facts speak for themselves, when necessary; and yet what a powerfully poignant atmosphere you evoke. It was painful reading about your father; I veered from being furious with him to feeling great sympathy...I knew what was coming with your grandfather, and yet there was still such an impending sense of doom."
Kathleen B., Toronto"So much of Toronto history is slipping away, books like yours are so important so that we don't forget -- or at least if we forget, we will be reminded. I have been marvelling at what your grandfather accomplished, despite his demons, despite the fact the demons won. Your family myth-turned-real has, not surprisingly, caused me to consider my own family and its various demons. I'm not sure it will be possible to duplicate the digging you have done, nor am I sure I want to, but nevertheless I am looking back at what I do know and at least asking some questions. It's not the first time I've asked these questions, but your spirit has made the asking of them suddenly relevant again."
Eric E., Toronto"I enjoyed your book so much and was emotionally very stirred by it. One night I dreamt I saw you at your book launch signing copies to a long line of children. They were all waiting for you, book in hand, to receive your signature. I wonder if it was all the lost, inner children that you have given life and voice to through your writing...a most fine work and a profound achievement."
Leah L., Toronto"It took me an extra long time to read the last chapter. I had to stop every few paragraphs and wait till my eyes cleared. I can only imagine the pain it took to move from the beginning to the end of the book. I'm glad you're still climbing...I now know more about the history of health care than I've ever known and it actually went in. It's shameful how little we are taught about our amazing history or maybe it was just so dehumanized I was asleep!"
Barbara M., Toronto"Your engaging, convoluted, tragic family history is primary, but the evolutionary threads of public health and mental health in Canada, and globally, creates a very rich, contextually rippling read. If that was not sufficient, your word smithing is a joy to consume -- so alive, creative and graphical. I am pleased to learn that after years of personal turmoil you have come to a place where you can love and be loved for who you are, with all your assets and liabilities rolled into one. A worthy destination for all of us and likely a place neither your father or grandfather ever found."
George G., Santa Fe, New Mexico"I have been pondering your grandfather's obsessive belief in his 'unpardonable sin.' From my reading on the subject, I wonder if it might be the case that the chain of pain from your grandfather, through your father, and down to you, was a grand scheme of sorts, towards deliverance from the servitude of 'sin' (against yourself), and from the penal consequences thereof (your life). Not to mention all the lives of those you have touched through the creative plan (your book) whereto you send it..."
Susan O., Toronto"I rave about your book to just about anyone I meet. It has had such an impact on my life. I had to put the book down at one point as there was a part that was so emotionally overwhelming I had to stop reading. I needed time to regroup, so to speak, as your book parallels my life in so many ways that it causes disruptions in my thinking!"
Cathy F., Thornhill, Ontario"I simply could not put your book down, and gave up more than a few hours sleep. The poignancy of your commentary brought tears to my eyes. Your story inspires me in my profession, that of elementary school principal, to remind myself that our childrens' lives are often complicated and sometimes filled with anxiety. I know that I now work even harder to look below the surface when a child is in difficulty and see the source of the anxiety, the behaviour and the words. Thank you for introducing me to your family. I will remember them for years to come."
Lily S., Toronto"The book is wonderful and the tragic sense of loss for you and your family must have presented as many obstacles to the work as reasons to continue it...I put the book down reluctantly and I even found myself reading at the dinner table, a huge violation of family manners...I found the book to be perfect -- you have nailed it."
Linda M., Toronto"I was brought to tears reading your very personal book, the solitude and tenacity it demanded, and the freedom you gained in its aftermath. It was wonderfully intimate and immediate and I felt like I was sitting across from you and listening to your journey and it was quite humbling. You honoured yourself, your grandfather and your father by telling their stories. They did not have the words nor the capacity, and beyond your very fine and intelligent writing, you carved out a hard-earned space within yourself to hold their enormous lives, and in the process, gave birth to your own. This is the second very important book you have written."
Lynda F., Toronto"Your book is both fascinating and excruciating. I found myself desperately wishing everyone might have been met with more compassion. Their isolated pain in contrast with their incredible accomplishments is all the more tragic. Your grandfather's compassion in ensuring that everyone had free access to innoculations is deeply moving and deserves to be celebrated. We are so privileged not to have had to deal with the horrible illnesses that in the not-to-distant past brought so much suffering."
Liz K., Toronto"An absolute masterpiece...I hung on every word...many passages I read aloud to my husband...I feel truly enlightened having read this magnificent memoir...this book must be translated into as many languages as possible."
Mary Ann M., Toronto"Reading your book, I felt like I was walking around inside your skin, seeing the world through your eyes. It was such a privilege to be with you on your journey in its unfolding. With the recent death of my father, my own family ghosts were let loose. I have had moments of real consolation reading your story. Your journey has helpd me grapple with my own nightmares and for that I am grateful."
A.K., Toronto"Canadian history at its very best...a riveting psychological interpretation of what happens to good people who consistently neglect their own needs and inner struggles...a sparkling gift to Canada from James FitzGerald."
Eleanor C., Wemindji, Quebec"You have written the book of your life -- literally and figuratively. As a journalist, you have proven that you are at the top of your profession, having done some amazing research. As a writer, you have shown that you are at the top of your game, having written a real page-turner. What Disturbs Our Blood is a great read."
David R., Toronto"James recently spoke to our book club and we all agreed that over our almost 30 years together it was one of the most interesting discussions we've engaged in. An amazing author -- none of us wanted the evening to end. What he has experienced in his life time we could never imagine could happen to one person. If we had read it as a novel, we would have said it was a little far fetched! I was expecting him to be different than he was. He seems like a very together, gentle man."
Mary Anne P., Toronto"What Disturbs Our Blood is an amazing book. It's full of the usual made unusual, the surface created deeply, a gift to us all."
Edith V.B., Caledon, Ontario"The writing skill is second to none. While the story is a dark one, I think it's a must read for all Canadians, from both a personal and historical perspective. I don't know how many times I thought to myself: "I had no idea!"
Gary R., Vernon, B.C."James was haunted by the silent ghosts of his father and grandfather, and starved of love, almost to death, as they had been. He had to find a way out, and like his Irish warrior ancestors whose blood coursed through his veins, he struck blow after blow against the enemies -- the lies, deceptions, and most of all, the terrible silence -- till the truth, his truth, and that of his forefathers, lay cowering and exposed, ready to be redeemed in the light of day. James redeemed not only himself, but his whole family. Gerry FitzGerald saved millions of lives and lost his; James FitzGerald saved his own life, and redeemed the spirit of his family, past and present."
Teressa G., Orangeville, Ontario"Never before have I written a fan letter. At 79, I've read hundreds, probably thousands of books. Yours is the most rewarding ever. Bravo, and thank you."
Dean W., Toronto"I cannot express how much I enjoyed your book. Your abilty to pull together so much research, fitting the pieces in cleverly to read like a first class mystery, boggles my mind. Your use of the English language is a treat and your talent to peak curiosity at just the right moment is masterful, to say the least...Thank you for a thoughtful, powerful book."
Suzanne E., Toronto"In the final image of you striding up the Avenue Road hill, I see 'Telemachus in Toronto', returned, redeemed and released, having traversed ancestral plains of achievement, ascending from their underworlds of torments, enlightened and alive. Thanks for a tremendous read in compelling social, medical, psychological history and personal catharsis."
Denis M., Sarnia, Ontario
James FitzGerald, County Kerry, Ireland, 1991
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James FitzGerald presents "What Disturbs Our Blood" to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty at the official opening of the new
$100 million Research and Development wing of Sanofi Pasteur,
Toronto, June 22, 2011
James FitzGerald
Journalist and Author
Toronto, Canada
