Daniel Keyes "Billy Milligan"

Author: Daniel Keyes Original title: The Minds of Billy Milligan Genre: novel Medical topic: dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder) Year of first publication: 1981 (worldwide), 2001 (Poland) Description: William Stanley Milligan, the title character, is a real-life figure, extremely controversial and tragic. He was arrested for the kidnapping and rape of three women (other crimes he may have committed were not disclosed). His trial was a landmark event in the history of the American judicial system—Billy was acquitted on grounds of mental illness, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. In the book, we meet all twenty-four (!) distinct personalities, each independent of the others and vying for control over the body of the dormant “host.” Billy is either the most severe case of this disorder ever recorded or a brilliant actor who outwitted doctors and prosecutors. The author spent two years with Billy and conducted numerous interviews with his family members, friends, doctors, and psychologists. The result is an incredible and shocking, yet true, book.