Blue genes

the long version

Kit Lukas's mother committed suicide when he was a boy. He and his brother, Tony, were not told how she died. No one spoke of the family's history of depression and bipolar disorder. Guilt and grief haunted them. Both brothers achieved remarkable success, Tony as a journalist, Kit as a television producer and director. After bouts of depression, Kit was able to confront his family's troubled past. Tony forged a sterling career, eventually winning two Pulitzer Prizes, but he never seemed to find the contentment Kit had attained; he remained creative, but depressed. In 1997, Tony Lukas committed suicide. This book portrays the lives of two brothers who alternately locked horns and found solace in each other, capturing the devastation of this family legacy of depression. But it is also surprisingly uplifting, as it details the strength and hope that can provide a way of escaping its grasp.--From publisher description.