The Perfect Other: A Memoir of My Sister by Leddy, Kyleigh

"Shines a light on the stigma surrounding mental health and schizophrenia. This deeply personal memoir will give readers greater empathy and understanding in supporting those who are oftentimes misunderstood." --Sheryl Sandberg

As a child, all Kait Leddy had ever wanted was a little sister. When Kyleigh was born, she and Kait were inseparable; Kait would protect her, include her, cuddle, and comfort her. To Kyleigh, her big sister was her whole world.

But as Kait entered adolescence, her personality changed. She began lashing out emotionally and physically and sometimes lost touch with reality, behavior that worsened after a traumatic head injury. The family struggled to keep this terrifying, often violent, side of Kait private--at school and in her social life, she was still the gorgeous, effervescent life of the party. Powerless to help, Kyleigh watched in horror as her perfect sibling's world began to collapse and Kait was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Then, in January 2014, twenty-two-year-old Kait disappeared. Though her body was never found, security footage showed her walking to the peak of Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Bridge, where it is presumed that she jumped. In this extraordinary memoir-- a story of hope, grief, mental illness, and enduring love--a grieving Kyleigh reflects on her sister and their life together, honoring their bond and searching for answers and a way to find meaning in this devastating loss.

Author: Kyleigh Leddy
Publisher: Harper
Published: 03/15/2022
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 9.10h x 5.90w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9780358469346

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/22/2021
Booklist 01/01/2022 pg. 30
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2022
Shelf Awareness 03/18/2022

About the Author

KYLEIGH LEDDY is a graduate of Boston College and is currently pursuing an MSW at Columbia University in advanced clinical practice and public policy. In 2019, she won the New York Times Modern Love college essay contest. Her work has appeared in the New York Times and Parents, as well as other publications. She is based in New York City.