About the Author

Thomas Szasz (1920-2012) was professor of psychiatry emeritus at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York and adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, Washington, DC. He was a prominent figure in the anti-psychiatry movement and a critic of the moral and scientific foundation of psychiatry.

Reviews

-For many years Szasz has been one of the leading spokesmen for the -anti-psychiatric- movement. He has long argued that mental diseases are manufactured by the psychiatric establishment and that psychiatrists serve no legitimate therapeutic purpose other than enforcing societal norms. Drawing from the libertarian tradition, Szasz remains an important figure in the reform movement and an articulate critic of involuntary treatment of mental diseases, the medicalization of aberrant behaviors (alcholism, gambling, drug abuse, PMS, etc.), and suicide prevention.- --R. F. White, Choice -No one attacks loose-thinking and folly with half the precision and zest of Thomas Szasz. Another good book in an impressive canon.- --John Leo, U.S. News & World Report -Thomas Szasz has created an extraordinary body of work, that continues to raise consequential challenges to the the prevailing myths of the culture of psychology.- --Tobias Wolff, PEN/Faulkner Award-winner, Stanford University

"For many years Szasz has been one of the leading spokesmen for the "anti-psychiatric" movement. He has long argued that mental diseases are manufactured by the psychiatric establishment and that psychiatrists serve no legitimate therapeutic purpose other than enforcing societal norms. Drawing from the libertarian tradition, Szasz remains an important figure in the reform movement and an articulate critic of involuntary treatment of mental diseases, the medicalization of aberrant behaviors (alcholism, gambling, drug abuse, PMS, etc.), and suicide prevention." --R. F. White, Choice "No one attacks loose-thinking and folly with half the precision and zest of Thomas Szasz. Another good book in an impressive canon." --John Leo, U.S. News & World Report "Thomas Szasz has created an extraordinary body of work, that continues to raise consequential challenges to the the prevailing myths of the culture of psychology." --Tobias Wolff, PEN/Faulkner Award-winner, Stanford University

"For many years Szasz has been one of the leading spokesmen for the "anti-psychiatric" movement. He has long argued that mental diseases are manufactured by the psychiatric establishment and that psychiatrists serve no legitimate therapeutic purpose other than enforcing societal norms. Drawing from the libertarian tradition, Szasz remains an important figure in the reform movement and an articulate critic of involuntary treatment of mental diseases, the medicalization of aberrant behaviors (alcholism, gambling, drug abuse, PMS, etc.), and suicide prevention." --R. F. White, Choice "No one attacks loose-thinking and folly with half the precision and zest of Thomas Szasz. Another good book in an impressive canon." --John Leo, "U.S. News & World Report" "Thomas Szasz has created an extraordinary body of work, that continues to raise consequential challenges to the the prevailing myths of the culture of psychology." "--"Tobias Wolff, PEN/Faulkner Award-winner, Stanford University

"Thomas Szasz has created an extraordinary body of work, that continues to raise consequential challenges to the the prevailing myths of the culture of psychology." "-- Tobias Wolff, PEN/Faulkner Award-winner, Stanford University"