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The safe word is pineapple!
Mayor to manic- my journey through crazy
by gerry taft
A creepy club. A sketchy fast food restaurant. Ultra wealth and urban poverty. A weird night during a political conference in Vancouver turns author Gerry Taft's life—and mind—inside out.
Believing he’s about to die, with visions of good and evil conspiring around him, Gerry writes a contract to extend his life. He navigates this sudden psychosis and paranoia by posting about it on social media in real time—and running down the street with his daughter. The Safe Word Is PINEAPPLE! is the true story of an epic meltdown with real world consequences and important lessons.
Part memoir, part social commentary, Gerry uses his lived experience as a framework to discuss—and offer solutions to—the many failings in our society. The Safe Word Is PINEAPPLE! is a call to embrace shared values, have honest conversations, increase personal power, and decrease the pull of polarization.
Proceeds from the book will be directed to increase capacity for mental health supports in rural communities—especially Invermere, BC.
“Prepare for a wild ride. What happens when a career politician and realtor takes a trip on the crazy train? Gerry Taft found out. So did his family, his friends, and his entire small town. Now he’s inviting us along.
In this raw, brave, and vulnerable account of an epically-public mental breakdown, Gerry takes us through that scary time from beginning to end with frankness and humour. He talks about the challenges of a high-stress lifestyle, shows the cracks in the system, and above all else reveals his love for the town that helped him through it all.
The Safe Word is Pineapple is a little book about a very personal journey that could change some minds around wider issues of mental health. Highly recommended.”
— Tony Barryman, Author
“My husband and I met Gerry when he sold us a house. He seemed very normal. Like, EXTREMELY normal. Then, in his own words, he went crazy. Wow, I thought. How did THAT happen? I couldn't imagine it. Just like I couldn't imagine what it would be like if that happened to me. Then he wrote a book about his descent and recovery. He describes his psychotic episode in great detail and it's fascinating.
How does a community loving, family man suddenly start seeing visions, imagining he's come up with a "source code" that will solve the world's problems? Read this book and find out. It's unbelievable and yet completely believable at the same time.
A must-read for anyone who is interested in what it's like to become mentally ill.”
— Nicola Ramsey, Fairmont Hot Springs
About
Gerry
Gerry Taft is a long-serving town councillor, businessperson, and realtor. He was first elected to Invermere BC town council at age 20, and mayor when he was 26. He served as mayor for ten years and has been serving on Invermere town council since 2002.
The Safe Word Is PINEAPPLE! is his first book. Gerry hopes it will help increase the understanding of, and decrease stigma about, work-related burnout and psychosis, while stimulating conversations around improving society and calling bullshit on broken bureaucratic systems.
Gerry lives in Invermere, BC, with his wife and their two cute, goofy, and amazing kids.
You can also find the book here:
paperback Books Coming to select INDEPENDENT bookstores late october 2024!!!
To Connect with Gerry:
info@thesafewordispineapple.com