Surviving the Odd: The Fine Line Between Laughter and Lithium by Candi Milo

"A nuanced, affecting memoir that sheds light on the effects of deinstitutionalization."
—Kirkus

Surviving the Odd is a rare and deeply personal glimpse into a childhood spent in the halls of one of California’s first homes for the mentally ill. With humor and an unflinching eye, Candi recounts growing up amidst psychiatric patients, a father who ran the care home like a nightclub, and a world where madness and laughter often blurred together. As she navigates through the chaos, she unearths a story of resilience, love, and the determination to find her own voice amidst the clamor of mental illness and societal disregard in the Bay Area during the 1970s. 

This book is an unforgettable exploration of what it means to survive in a world that often feels on the edge, wrapped in the bittersweet absurdity of a life lived between punchlines and lithium prescriptions.

Candi Milo is an author, Behind the Voice Actor Award–winner, and three-time Annie Award–nominated voice artist, singer, and comedian. Raised in San Jose, she now lives in Los Angeles.