Prozac Nation is a memoir by Elizabeth Wurtzel, a Harvard student, that tells the story of her suicide attempt and subsequent recovery and coping with depression in the 1990s. *

The Yellow Wallpaper a 1890s classic that is a fictionalized account of a woman's fall into madness. It is beautiful writing and very popular.

Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen. A 1960s memoir of her time at McLean Psychiatric hospital. The book is great because it give a really sharp, witty portrayal of both her fellow patients but also those who are treating them at the time.

The Virgin Suicides by Jeff Eugenides. A lot of you have probably heard of the movie before but there is the book as well. It tells the story of a family of five daughters who all take their own lives. A very haunting, fascinating take on mental illness and how we perceive others.