Fort Unicorn and the Duchess of Knothing

A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter

By: Andrea Nelson

Narrated by: Andrea Nelson, Kristina Stadler

A retired boxer sets out in search of her daughter, Shyloh, an addict living with mental illness on the streets of San Diego. In Fort Unicorn and the Duchess of Knothing, Nelson tries desperately to find—and save—her first-born, delving into the roots of mental illness, addiction, and the meaning of unconditional love.

This memoir is an unflinching witness of what it means to be homeless, mentally ill, and addicted in America—and to love someone who is all of those things. Fort Unicorn is, more than anything else, a vivid and tender portrait of people who are too often invisible to society.

Fort Unicorn and the Duchess of Knothing is Nelson’s first published book. Several years before Shyloh's death, while in jail, sober and medicated, Shyloh asked her mother to help write a book chronicling her struggles and triumphs. Shyloh died before the book could be written, and Andrea felt compelled to tell her daughter’s story for her. The result offers an important perspective on homelessness, mental illness, and addiction. Nelson’s goal is to open eyes and hearts, so the story might inspire conversation and instigate change.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrea Nelson lives and coaches boxing in Madison, Wisconsin. When she’s not in the gym training her boxers, you can find Andrea tending her gardens, chickens, and bees, or running the nearby trails. She shares life with her partner, James.

©2022 Andrea Nelson (P)2022 Andrea Nelson

Heartbreaking Reminder To Live In The Moment

I briefly knew the author's daughter, and made sure to buy the audiobook to better understand what happened. I have 3 daughters and a son, and this book has made me feel way more aware of the limited access to our children we truly have, as well as the importance of cherishing every moment spent with them. Highly recommended.

A Beautiful Tragedy

Andrea tells an amazing story of the unconditional love of a mother and daughter relationship. She depicts the beauty and tragedy throughout her story by describing Shyloh’s mental illness, substance use, and homelessness. As someone who works in the field of mental health, I encourage this read to not only professionals but anyone. Fort Unicorn and the Duchess of Knothing gives a face and story to those who are so often judged in a negative light by our society. It also explains the challenges of our systems in providing support. Thank you Andrea for sharing your journey.

I couldn't stop listening!

The author painted a vivid picture of what it was like to love a family member with mental health struggles and addiction without losing sight of what a truly beautiful human being her daughter was.

The story takes you on a journey from rural Wisconsin to the homeless struggles in San Diego. You find yourself cheering for each of her daughter's victory's and just desperately rooting for her happy ending. Just when you think all is hopeless, you get a breath of air through whimsical poems, blog postings and letters. It's hard to not care about Shyloh.

A lot of well intentioned parents who write books on this subject matter, tend to be rather hard on their children. Some may read some of the actions of the author as enabling but I think she does a beautiful job navigating and explaining her difficult choices. As a parent myself, I could only hope to have as much Grace as her. She showed unconditional love can be possible even when society may deem your child undeserving. She also narrates the book beautifully and it adds an extra level of realness to the sensitive subject matter.

There are so many good subjects touched on in this book about homelessness, societal struggles, the desire to be free of expectations of others. Shyloh's reality and world was different than most but her experience was no less valid and meaningful. Even as an individual with so many struggles, she touched the lives of so many people, myself included. I love you Shyloh and was always rooting for your happy ending.

Strength and dignity

As a parent of children with mental illnesses the echos of love and heartbreak are so clear. The strength and dignity that Andrea gives to every part of her life is evident. The desire not to burden others the sense of failure and the heartbreak of self reflection are so evident. Thank you for sharing! Though every individual struggle is different the mother child bond and pin is so clear in your experience.

Couldn’t stop listening

A beautifully-told heartbreaking story detailing a complex relationship rooted in love and complicated by addiction.

Sadly, this is real.

The issue of addiction, of the bewildering and confounding impact of substance abuse was almost entirely unintoiched. However, as the author/the mother indicates, this was not going to be part of this recounting. It is totally reasonable to make this decision. I guess that is someone else’s story.
I think, for me, this decision increased my (irrelevant, distant) feelings of hopelessness. The author, and her daughter have been/are moving, gift-giving, and, as I said, very real people.