From the Dark Side

Know about the book -

From the Dark Side is written by Jonathan Schwartz and published by Jonathan Books. It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 0975382802 (ISBN 10) and 9780975382806 (ISBN 13).

From the Dark Side, winner of the 2006 Independent Publisher Poetry Award, is a collection of poems by a previously unknown author, whose talents in music, writing, and art began to unfold at an early age. Before reaching the age of 15, this multi-gifted individual had won numerous scholarships and honors, both in music and in writing. His written work was honored to be included in the Who's Who of Senior High Writers, published by the Los Angeles Unified High School District. His musicianship was rewarded by scholarships from the Young Musicians Foundation, the 31st District PTA, and the Los Angeles Secondary Music Teachers Association. Jonathan Schwartz was a native Californian, who, at age 15, was stricken with schizophrenia. In spite of his illness, he then earned three successive full scholarships to The Juilliard School, where he was considered one of the finest, most promising young French horn players ever to attend there. A CD of five of his most compelling performances has been compiled and made available through the website, http://www.jonathanbooksonline.com. Jonathan's story unfolds in his poetry. The foreword, written by his publisher/mother, takes the reader through her son's brief, but brilliant life. Born with a congenital heart defect that required surgery at age five to correct, he battled both his heart ailment and the effects of schizophrenia for the rest of his life. Both his poetry and his music reflect the dark undertones of this effort. Tragically, he died in a Manhattan treatment center for the mentally ill, after struggling nearly twenty years with his disease. Had Jonathan Schwartz not been so gifted, his life and illness would have been folded unnoticed into the sum total of mental health statistics. Jonathan's book, From the Dark Side, was published as a legacy to his exceptional life and art. "The plain cover makes it look like an old classic you'd discover hidden on a shelf," said poetry awards judge Nina L. Diamond. "Inside, it's a new classic written by an old soul, who, unfortunately, passed away too soon. Jonathan Schwartz had plenty to say, and he said it powerfully and beautifully. His words grab your gut, your brain, and your heart."