Howard Dully’s blog

A post about My Lobotomy: A Memoir

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:59:00 -0700

My Lobotomy: A Memoir

Howard Dully

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PODCASTS ???

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:51:21 -0700

Why aren’t podcasts more popular?

Published on March 31, 2008 under Journalism Industry

Over the last few months I’ve been listening to podcasts during my morning and evening commutes. I’ve never been much of a podcast listener, but now that I have a 45 minute commute via BART train, I’ve turned into an avid listener, even an obsessed fan. I can’t leave home without my earphones, and if I do, I feel like I’ve wasted a precious morning that could have been spent enlightening my life.

I used to listen to the radio when I had a driving commute at a previous job, but this time I get to choose exactly which casts I want to listen to and in which order.

Lately I’ve been listening to Slate, NPR and a few others. Just so many of the segments are incredible. I actually feel rejuvinated when hearing a great piece that opens my eyes to larger world we live in. Most of the time I’m left intrigued.

So why is podcasting still a small niche in the total number of audio listeners? Well, logistics plays a big part. You need an mp3 player and, software to aggregate the casts. But more importantly you need time. Time to listen. No one actively turns on a radio to listens to news. Its a passive form of news consumption. You listen to it while doing something else, like driving or doing the dishes.

This question came up recently during a Knight multimedia workshop we were teaching at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Someone described podcasts as “radio without listeners” and my heart sank. How could this precious piece of daily enlightenment simply not exist in the lives of so many people. I suspect once cars become further integrated with iPod, this form of news consumption will become more and more widely used.

If you still don’t believe me, I challenge you to listen to the following cast and not be fully intrigued. It’s a piece from NPR’s Driveway Moments about a man trying to come to terms with a lobotomy he had when he was 12. I know, the topic sounds a bit weird, but this bit of audio is one of the most incredible pieces I’ve heard. The quick cross edits, the haunting voices, everything about it is so riveting I forget I’m listening to a news story. It’s 20 minutes long. You might not have the patience to listen to the whole thing sitting here on this blog (the reason why radio doesn’t work online), so remember you can always download the podcast.

Howard Dully\’s My Lobotomy piece from NPR\’s Driveway Moment

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Howard Dully dot com has arrived

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:32:13 -0700

http://www.howarddully.com/

try it out, give it some hits

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Oh, this was so interesting...

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:46:20 -0800

'''> >Freaky History Lesson
> >
>
> >Have a history teacher explain this

- if they can.
>
>
> >Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
>
> >John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
>
> >
>
> >Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
>
> >John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.
>
> >
>
> >Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
>
> >Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.
>
> >
>
> >Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
>
> >Both Presidents were shot in the head.
>
> >
>
> >Now it gets really weird.
>
> >
>
> >Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.
>
> >Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.
>
> >
>
> >Both were assassinated by Southerners.
>
> >Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.
>
> >
>
> >Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
>
> >Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.
>
> >
>
> >John Wilkes Booth, who
>
> >assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.
>
> >Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.
>
> >
>
> >Both assassins were known by their three names.
>
> >Both names are composed of fifteen letters.
>
> >
>
> >Now hang on to your seat.
>
> >
>
> >Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.'
>
> >Kennedy was shot in a car called ' Lincoln' made by 'Ford.'
>
> >
>
> >Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a
>warehouse.
>
> >Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a
>
> >theater.
>
> >
>
> >Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.
>
> >
>
> >And here's the kicker...
>
> >
>
> >A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland A week
>
> >before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.
>
> >
>
> >Creepy huh? Send this to as many people as you can, cause: Hey, this is
>
> >one history lesson people don't mind reading

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His Lobotomy A Online Review

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:47:22 -0800

Thursday, February 14, 2008
His Lobotomy

As I mentioned yesterday, I've been reading this book by Howard Dully. Not long after I posted that blog, I was excited to see that I had a comment! The comment was from Dully himself! I thought it was a joke, but after checking out his site, it's totally legit. My own friends don't even comment here, but the author of the book I'm reading does??? Even if all he does is Google himself all day long, I thought it was pretty damn cool.

I finally finished the book last night. I say finally, but really, I read it in three days. It's just that any time I wasn't reading, I was wanting to. I've found myself a little obsessed with this story. And why? I was never lobotomized, I was never tortured by my step-mother, I never even had a step-mother, and I don't think anyone hated me as a child. But I think I resonated with the loneliness and insecurity the author always felt. No one ever told him that he was loved and I can relate to that. Even though I hear those words now, I don't remember ever hearing it as a kid. If I did, it obviously wasn't enough or not significant to me. I was a very quit child and no one really talked to me. My dad was at work and my mom was usually in bed, depressed, or working in her art studio. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't exactly neglected. I took dance lessons and had ponies and nice clothes. But I remember it was like pulling teeth to get my parents to attend my dance recitals and just do what all the other parents did for their children. I don't hold a grudge about any of that now, but as a kid, that was really confusing and hurtful. I spent a lot of time in my room, alone.

So after I finished the book I found the original NPR broadcast of which Dully's book is drawn from and listened to the 22 minute-long biography, and it's wonderful.

It's hard to imagine a time when a "medical" practice like this was normal. That no one really stood up for the victims of this procedure. Today there would be many organizations and gala's held to raise money for these people. There would be some fancy celebrity at the head of it all and one of those Lance Armstrong bracelets.

The book also made me think of my mother's brother. I never met him (though he was supposedly there at my birth), but he was diagnosed as a schizophrenic in his late teens and sent from the East Coast to live in a mental institution in Tacoma, where at 60-something, he is still living. I'm sure he is a ward of the state of Washington; a throw away. Could his problem(s) really have been that bad? It must have been sometime in the 1960's when he was sent there. What kept my grandparents from sending him to see Dr. Freeman, I wonder? Is it better to just lock someone up and throw away the key? No one spoke of him growing up. I think when my parents moved to Washington they might have tried to visit him once or twice. Maybe it was too painful.

Well, if Dully is reading this now, I would like him to know that his story really touched my heart. I know I'm not the only one. I know he's received tons of letters and e-mails telling him how brave he is. In an odd way, I almost feel proud of him. I guess I'm just happy to see that someone who endured so much has finally come full circle and has let go of the pain. I have a feeling he'll be on Oprah soon.
Posted by thecandyqueen at 9:09 AM
Labels: books, howard dully, lobotomy

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My Lobotomy

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:33:18 -0800

Sunday, February 10, 2008

never really thought much about the subject of lobotomies...

i spend an hour traveling to work and back home Monday through Friday and enjoy listening to audio books rather than the radio or cds. i listen to all kinds of stuff - usually fiction romance, sci-fi or whatever else gets my attention at the library. i just finished listening to what i thought was fiction, but turned out to be a biography by Howard Dully called My Lobotomy. i don't think i'll ever use the term lobotomy to be funny again. i have been totally blown away by this book. this man describes his life from childhood to adulthood. he was given a lobotomy at the age of 12, because his step mother could not control him and his father was too complacent to object. the lobotomy did not "work" to the step mother's satisfaction so she talked his father in to giving him up as a ward of the state. it's amazing that this man turned out so well. he is in his 50s now and is doing well. i would love to meet him personally and just give him a hug. he worked with Sound Portraits on a documentary of his life which aired on NPR in Novemeber 2005. take a listen - it will take you out of your comfort zone and make you think a little.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5014080

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Vote which one you like let me know.

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:07:19 -0800

My Lobotomya

41CAslZXI0L._SS500_

The top is the US cover and the bottom is the UK cover which do you like best (and why) ?

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Oh, this was so interesting...

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:02:53 -0800

41CAslZXI0L._SS500_

This is the cover for the awaited UK release of my book

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His lobotomy, his recovery, in his words

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:37:19 -0800

His lobotomy, his recovery, in his words

Edward Guthmann, Chronicle Staff Writer

Until he was 5, Howard Dully was a happy child. That was the year his mother, June, died of cancer. June was "loving and indulgent," Dully writes, so devoted that his father once said, "I could've dropped dead and it...

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bobmc7 wrote:

Did they mention what happened to the Stepmom? She deserves to die slowly and burn in hell for eternity.

Posted 9/26/2007 11:27:47 AM

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glasskey wrote:

Agreed with those who bring up the current craze for chemical brain-tinkering to keep the "weirdos" "on track". How much more horrifying is it that the masses of scarred, dulled people walking around in a zombie prozac ambien ritalin god-knows-what-else haze are invisible? Most of these people are canaries in the coalmine, letting us know our world is out of whack. If we'd only listen and appreciate their perspective. Mr. Dully is an angel, and I hope the doc and stepmom are in prison. The dad needs some serious therapy and to make amends.

Posted 9/26/2007 11:31:28 AM

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glasskey wrote:

Update: Walter Freeman, lobotomy doc, dead from cancer 1972. I hope he suffered.

Posted 9/26/2007 11:36:20 AM

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cherita77 wrote:

This is how people dealt with "non-conformists" in the family, especially if they had $$$. Mental hospitals for woman that cut their hair and had a cocktail, stayed out late dancing .. shock treatments for men who did not want to go into Daddy's business. Check it out folks, cause that way of thinking has not gone away. Ritalin, etc.. Hey, DON'T TAZE ME, DOC!! Let's get numb and right in line, and in step, and don't disagree and don't make waves and don't wear loud colors, and don't listen to music and don't dance, and STOP THINKING SO MUCH!!! Respect My Authority!!

Posted 9/26/2007 12:07:09 PM

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SoozeeQ wrote:

Thank goodness for happy (happier) endings. This is indeed a touching story.

Posted 9/26/2007 12:20:12 PM

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lambchop wrote:

These are oral histories of Freeman's lobotomy procedures. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5014594

Posted 9/26/2007 12:59:49 PM

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hmmm wrote:

what kind of sick, crazy person(s) would do this to a child?????? WOW

Posted 9/26/2007 1:05:45 PM

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Mercurius wrote:

This sort of stuff hasn't stopped. Take a look at Amanda Baggs articles on the mistreatment of autistics. Once you have a neurological or psychiatric label, any level of abuse can be excused as therapy.

Posted 9/26/2007 1:28:29 PM

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Mamacita wrote:

Howardwasright is right. How different is this from drugging kids up on Ritalin? Not to defend the step-mom, she sounds like a terrible person, but this was almost 50 years ago and child rearing changes every 2 years it seems. At that time lobotomies were more acceptable...look even shock therapy is coming back and it's apparently effective for some folks...if you'd mentioned it 10 years ago you'd seen a lot of the same comments as above. Here's a minor more benign example: When I was born 43 years ago my mother wanted to breastfeed me. Her doctor told her it wasn't clean and her mother told her her breasts were too small to supply me with milk. And now everybody is strongly encouraged to breastfeed and even made to feel bad if they can't/won't. Everything changes.

Posted 9/26/2007 1:43:36 PM

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zooney22 wrote:

What people will do to each other never ceases to shock, sadden and frighten us. What is of greater impact is that this man survived and shows no bitterness. In fact, his motivation to write the book reflects the humanity and caring for others that help us get through all that shocks, saddens and terrifies us. Thank you Mr. Dully for sharing your story.

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My Lobotomy

nobody@vox.com(Howard Dully) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:44:50 -0800

Neurologist Walter Freeman invented and promoted the “ice pick lobotomy” in the mid-20th century. He reportedly performed this controversial procedure on over 10,000 patients who were stricken with all manner of mental illness.

In 1960, at the age of 12, Howard Dully was one of Dr. Freeman’s youngest patients. Dully’s stepmother insisted on the lobotomy, despite the 12-year-old not demonstrating any tendencies beyond that of a regular young boy. Dully’s father agreed, and the family paid $200 to Freeman.

My Lobotomy chronicles Dully’s life before and after his lobotomy. His childhood was cruel, and not just the normal amount of cruel a child of the ‘50s could expect. His stepmother was verbally and physically abusive; his siblings verify the treatment he received as the family’s whipping post.

Dully began to act out even more when he was labeled a problem child - petty crimes and a bad attitude were the norm. It is difficult to determine if he was actually a troubled child or just living up to the expectations of his stepmother.

His stepmother took him to several psychiatrists who each said Dully was fine; a few even said she was the issue. This was before she met Dr. Freeman. Thanks to the wealth of information available on lobotomies and Freeman’s own mass of copious notes, Dully is able to provide great depth to the doctor’s story and of his personal case file.

Dully’s lobotomy went off as expected, and the results were immediately positive. Eventually, though, the positivity faded away when Dully began to have greater issues that further strained his family relationships, found him in and out of “halls” and “centers”, and secured an adult life of instability for him.

At the age of 54, with children of his own, Dully set out to discover the circumstances of his young life and the lobotomy that altered it forever. His search led to sharing his story in the media and now with this book. Dully has a flair for the details - every single detail, to be specific, both personal and historical details. Fortunately, the story has an enormous amount of human interest to keep it from being crushed under all the details.

My Lobotomy is remarkable as a simple survivor story, but also as a commentary on medicine. It answers tough questions and poses important new questions as well.

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