Madness, 1st Edition

Review from previous edition brief but fruitfully dense'The GuardianIt’s a superbly written, intelligent, accessible book…a book that so brilliantly digest a huge and complex issue’Ludovic Hunter-Tilneya fascinating history...Porter is a highly compassionate writer'Sinclair McKay, Daily Telegraphuseful and readable mini-history’New StatesmanPorter knows how to keep us reading . . . this brisk account is the perfect introduction, not least because it leaves you wanting more'Yorkshire PostThis well-constructed, finely written book,succinct and well-illustrated, is a handy manual for those who are in search of a quick reminder of the evolving history of madness’Literary Review`He has the perfect technique for a small book on a big subject, threading minute evidence, well-told stories and reflections through the fabric of masterly generalisation’The Times

The most highly-acclaimed and prolific medical historian of this generation. Roy Porter was a well-known and widely respected author of over 80 books, the most recent being the much reviewed Enlightenment: Britain and the Creation of the Modern World (Penguin, 2000). He published extensively in the history of psychiatry, including A Social History of Madness (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1987; Paperback edition, 1989); The Faber Book of Madness (Faber, 1991; paperback 1993). He was Professor of the Social History of Medicine at the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at University College London; and had extensive experience of popular public lecturing, broadcasting, and serious journalism.