 | The Final Leap: Suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge Subjects: Suicide victims -- California -- San Francisco; Suicide -- California -- San Francisco; Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco Calif.); Well-researched and thoroughly reported, Bateson examines the history and impact of suicides on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge via interviews and profiles of family members of people who have jumped from the famous structure; mental health, rescue, and suicide experts; Bridge District board members; and a few of the "ultra-select" group of unlikely jump survivors. Too often, however, this otherwise darkly enthralling read feels like a long op-ed in favor of erecting a suicide barrier. Bateson portrays the lack of a barrier as indicative of a belief that suicidal people are making a choice based entirely on free will, and argues forcefully against this and for our culture to become more compassionate. With such an important message, a survivor tells Bateson, "Good luck with your book. I hope a lot of people read it, and that it helps end suicides from the bridge." Hopefully, its narrow focus doesn't diminish its potential readership and cultural influence. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. Bateson John : John Bateson is Executive Director of the Contra Costa Crisis Center in Contra Costa County, California and the author of Building Hope . He has served on the steering committee of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. In 2007 he was appointed to a blue-ribbon committee charged with creating the California Strategic Plan on Suicide Prevention. |
