Jonathan Rosen's The BEST MINDS-Memoir of a Friend Whose Mind Becomes Shattered

The BEST MINDS is a memoir by Jonathan Rosen which is his account of his relationship with a childhood friend, Michael Laudor, who suffered from mental illness in his 20s. Laudor tragically murdered his pregnant fiancé, Caroline Costello during a psychotic episode and was found not guilty due to insanity. Rosen and Laudor grew up in New Rochelle in the 70s going to the same local schools, shul and Yale university. The commonalities in their Jewish households mirrored each other where they roamed freely in and out of each other's homes and lives for decades. The myths, mysteries and science of schizophrenia and mental illnesses are examined in Rosen's deft writing and first-hand experience with a friend whose mental illness struggles lead to the murder of his longtime, pregnant girlfriend and the destruction of two grieving families.  Rosen first captivates the reader with his gift of recollection of his boyhood pastimes in intellectual households in West Chester, NY.  Neither Rosen or Laudor were athletically prone and tended to pursue their own rivalry in academics and reporting, vying for the coveted position of editor for their school's papers. Their friendship surged and waned as many friendships tend to do but their logistics and family connections kept them if not close, at the very least connected. There is a pounding thrust of impending disaster for the horrific crime which covered the front page of the NY POST for weeks in the aftermath of the brutal slaying.  Furthermore, there's Rosen's beseeching quest to examine his own life alongside the highly, promising life of Laudor that becomes frayed and completely shattered.  Rosen's research into mental illness, the treatments for or lack thereof and his factual reporting of events opens the reader into a disturbing and unfamiliar world. The enduring friendship between the two men and any obligations it entails is examined in a forthright and compelling manner without being pedantic or judgmental.  Named as one of 2023 best ten books of the year, "The Best Minds" is both an enlightening work of non-fiction while at the same time, an enigma for the limited understanding for dealing with mental illness and what preventative measures can be enlisted to protect those suffering and their caretakers.  Overall, it's a thoughtful accounting of a tortured relationship and a profound consideration of the meaning of friendship.