The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions

In 1995, shortly after Chuck’s death, an article about Michael appears in The New York Times. The article lists Michael’s astonishing achievements during his battle with schizophrenia and outlines his goal of finding a job without concealing his illness. A quotation from Michael states that associating schizophrenia with violence is “a common and painful stereotype” (350). Jonathan is disturbed by the article. He feels that while publicly “coming out” as a schizophrenic, Michael is also minimizing the impact of the illness. Jonathan recalls how Michael armed himself with a kitchen knife when he believed his parents were Nazis.

The New York Times article catches the interest of Hollywood and publishers. Michael calls Jonathan, revealing he has accepted a $1.5 million deal with Imagine Films for his life story. Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham on Happy Days, is due to direct. Publishing houses also entered a bidding war for Michael’s memoir, The Laws of Madness. Michael accepted Scribner’s offer of $600,000. The movie will be based on The Laws of Madness.

Michael and Carrie move into an apartment in the quiet town of Hastings-on-Hudson. Publications frequently consult Michael as an expert on mental illness. In The New York Times, he critiques the psychiatrists at a medical school who had a student with bipolar disorder hospitalized after an assault on another student.