It is impossible to say a book on such a sensitive and horrific issue as child abuse is a great book to read; in fact, this book is probably one of the most difficult ones to read that you will ever come across. Having studied psychology, it is a known fact that Multiple Personality Disorder(MPD) is associated with child abuse. The personality "splits" when the human psyche can no longer cope with the pain of abuse.
Sybil is a story of such abuse at the hands of a mentally disturbed mother - sexual, physical and emotional abuse prevail. Sybil is a true story based on one of the most severe cases of MPD and child abuse in history. Over a span of twenty years, it reveals the various "personalities" living within one woman. How one could even survive such atrocities is beyond belief. The time period of this story ends in the 40's. Today, research continues on this subject and much has been learned since Sybil's case, but one can never have enough knowledge.
Sybil's personalities eventually merge and in 1998, the real Sybil died, finding, we hope, final peace and contentment

DNF @ Page 26 after finding out this book was fabricated by the author and Sybil (Shirley Mason) 's doctor, so they could make money. Sybil later admitted she faked all her "personalities".

O livro trata sobre uma mulher chamada Shirley Ardell Mason, nascida em 25 de janeiro de 1923 na cidade de Dodge Center, no estado de Minnesota. Sua história é o mais famoso caso de personalidade múltipla já registrado. No livro, Sybil Isabel Dorsett (nome fictício que a autora atribuiu para proteger a privacidade de Shirley) é uma paciente com severos problemas de ansiedade social e perda de memória. Com o decorrer da terapia, a Dra. Wilbur descobre que ela tem 16 personalidades distintas. Ela usa hipnose e o barbitúrico Amobarbital para encorajar as diversas personalidades de Sybil a se comunicarem e revelarem informações sobre a vida da paciente

I'm giving this four stars, even if there is a new book out claiming it's all made it, just for pure page-turning readability. Every page introduces something shocking and who doesn't love to read about multiple personalities? While thinking of Sally Field? ( )

Had this been a first hand account of a therapist's encounter with a woman who was one of the first to be diagnosed with sixteen separate personalities its would have been much more engaging and fascinating account. However the story is told by a friend of Sybil and the therapist hence it does not have the same immediacy and the author's grasp of the concept of psychoanalysis was amateur and simplistic. It was a disappointing and interminably dull read ( )