The Undesirable (Paperback)

Description

'THE UNDESIRABLE' is an existentialist memoir set in London and Lyon. The principle theme is one of identity, which is a common cause of crisis amongst those suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder. Initially welcoming the diagnosis, the author felt that at long last he had finally found an 'identity'. However after four years drifting from place to place in both England and France, various experiences led him to make an existentialist decision to reject labels such as 'borderline', 'troublesome', 'victim' and 'undesirable'. Eventually he decides to start again but this time with a renewed sense of place in the world. In the end he discovers a simple definition of "philosophy" that helps him to liberate himself from the shackles of 'mental illness' and everything the label implies.

About the Author

Sheza Jilal was born in 1980 to a Kenyan born mother and English born father but spent his life raised by an Arab family from Morocco.

He became aware of identity confusion from an early age and was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in his early twenties.

Having frequently moved between England, Morocco and France as a youngster he eventually took solace in philosophy, especially the works of Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, and gradually started to apply them in the context of his own mental health. The experiences of his early twenties led him to look at mental illness, gender roles, religion and culture from an existentialist outlook and his future plans are to write fiction based around these themes.