The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness

The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness is an allegorical story of a boy's experience of psychosis, with mental illness represented as a fantastical tree whose flowers are ecstasy and whose fruit is unbearable sadness. Stunning drawings and paintings lead the reader through the boy's early discovery of his strangeness, his surrender to the disease (an all-consuming tree), the ensuing psychotic journey, and eventual self-acceptance. The recording of a full orchestral score composed by the author-illustrator accompany the book.

About the Author

Matt Ottley is an internationally acclaimed author/illustrator/composer with more than thirty-five picture books published. His awards include the CBCA Picture Book of the Year and the Queensland Premiers Awards for literature. In 2016 he was awarded the Patricia Wrightson Prize in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards for his illustrations from, Teacup , by Rebecca Young, and was also awarded the 2017 IBBY Australian Illustrator award for this same work.

In 2019 he was shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Award for his illustrations in Kirli Saunder's book, The Incredible Freedom Machines.