Malignant Sadness : The Anatomy of Depression - Softcover

Lewis Wolpert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0571207278 ISBN 13: 9780571207275

Publisher: Gardners Books, 2001

Synopsis

Some years ago Lewis Wolpert had a severe depressive episode: despite a happy marriage and a successful scientific career, he could think only of suicide. When he eventually recovered, he became aware of the stigma attached to depression and of how difficult it was to get reliable information. So he undertook this written investigation into what science and psychiatry - and his own personal experience - could reveal about depression. Now with an additional introduction following the associated BBC2 series, this work also recounts the author's struggle with a second bout.

About this title

Review:

After he captures the essence of his subject so succinctly in his title, it's a wonder that noted scientist Lewis Wolpert went on to write a whole book. Luckily for us, Malignant Sadness: The Anatomy of Depression lives up to its title, explaining the state of our knowledge and enlightening bystanders who have never been crippled by psychic pain about just what they're missing. Wolpert's training as a developmental biologist helps him sift through the scientific literature, while his devastating episode of depression is the base of his eloquent descriptions of its subjective experience. Far from a deficit, his lack of psychiatric training allows him to explore more freely the unclear and ambiguous depths of our understanding of this all-too-common ailment.

Given his background, one would expect Wolpert to emphasize biological causes and relief, but he gives psychological and environmental factors their due. As anyone with a debilitating disease will agree, any course of action promising recovery is worth pursuing, and Malignant Sadness carefully looks into many alternate explanations and therapies. Evolution, psychotherapy, Prozac and its ilk, and non-Western medicine all play roles in Wolpert's drama, and his engaging prose keeps the reader intrigued throughout. Either you or someone close to you is practically certain to be struck by some form of depression during your lifetime--read Malignant Sadness and be prepared. --Rob Lightner

About the Author:

Lewis Wolpert is a distinguished embryologist and an accomplished broadcaster. He is Professor of Biology as Applied to Medicine at University College, London, and has taken part in numerous radio programmes, particularly interviews with other scientists. A CBE and a Fellow of the Royal Society, he was chairman of the Committee on the Public Understanding of Science for four years.He is the author of A Passion for Science and Passionate Minds (with Alison Richards), and The Triumph of the Embryo. For Faber, he has written The Unnatural Nature of Science: 'I can think of no book which explains science better or more vigorously to the layman. Professor Wolpert's prose is clear, direct, and euphonious; it seems almost unfair that he should be an eminent scientist as well.' (Spectator).

About this edition

• Publisher: Gardners Books
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0571207278
• ISBN 13: 9780571207275
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 216