Why read Madness in Civilization?

Book cover of Madness in Civilization: A Cultural History of Insanity, from the Bible to Freud, from the Madhouse to Modern Medicine

Book description

The loss of reason, a sense of alienation from the commonsense world we all like to imagine we inhabit, the shattering emotional turmoil that seizes hold and won't let go--these are some of the traits we associate with madness. Today, mental disturbance is most commonly viewed through a medical lens,…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Madness in Civilization as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Owen Whooley

Author

Whenever I begin to study a topic, I look for books with a broad historical sweep that helps me contextualize the present. This is just that kind of book. Andrew Scull deftly traces the cultural understandings of madness from antiquity to today.

You might think such an ambitious task would make for a dense and plodding slog, but Scull’s easy prose, as well as his penchant for inserting pithy, fascinating anecdotes at just the right moment, make this book a pleasurable read. Come for the critical history, stay for all the curious characters you meet along the way.

From Owen's list on The best books on psychiatry’s troubled past.