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The Divided Self
An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Check link for latest rating. ( 6,343 ratings, 324 reviews)
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Using case studies of patients the author had worked with, this title argues that psychosis is not a medical condition but an outcome of the 'divided self', or the tension between the two personas within us: one our authentic, private identity, and the other the false, 'sane' self that we present to the world.
Laing's radical approach to insanity offered a rich existential analysis of personal alienation and made him a cult figure in the 1960s, yet his work was most significant for its humane attitude, which put the patient back at the centre of treatment.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Laing's radical approach to insanity offered a rich existential analysis of personal alienation and made him a cult figure in the 1960s. Yet his work was most significant for its humane attitude, which put the patient back at the centre of treatment.
His groundbreaking exploration of the nature of madness, R.D. Laing's The Divided Self, illuminated the nature of mental illness, making the mysteries of the mind comprehensible to a lay audience. This Penguin Modern Classics edition includes an introduction by Professor Anthony S. David.
First published in 1960, this watershed work aimed to make madness comprehensible, and in doing so revolutionised the way we perceive mental illness. Using case studies of patients he had worked with, psychiatrist R.D. Laing argued that psychosis is not a medical condition, but an outcome of the 'divided self', or the tension between the two personas within us—one our authentic, private identity, and the other the false, 'sane' self that we present to the world.
Laing's radical approach to insanity offered a rich existential analysis of personal alienation and made him a cult figure in the 1960s. Yet his work was most significant for its humane attitude, which put the patient back at the centre of treatment.
R.D. Laing (1927-1989), one of the best-known psychiatrists of modern times, was born in Glasgow, Scotland. R.D. Laing's writings range from books on social theory to verse, as well as numerous articles and reviews in scientific journals and the popular press. His many publications include The Divided Self, Self and Others, Interpersonal Perception, The Politics of Experience and The Bird of Paradise, and Madness and Folly.
If you enjoyed The Divided Self, you might like Sigmund Freud's The Joke and Its Relation to the Unconscious, also available in Penguin Modern Classics.
'One of the twentieth century's most influential psychotherapists' - Guardian
'Laing challenged the psychiatric orthodoxy of his time ... an icon of the 1960s counter-culture' - The Times
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Divided Self by R. D. Laing is lauded for its insightful exploration of mental health, particularly the experience of schizophrenia. Reviewers praise Laing's innovative approach to understanding psychological disorders and his empathetic depiction of the human condition. The book's blend of philosophical insight and clinical observation is often highlighted for providing a unique perspective on the complexities of the mind.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780141189376
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 28 January 2010
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Classics
Contributors:
- Introduction by Anthony S. David
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 12.0mm
Width: 128.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 184g
Pages: 240
About the Author
R.D. Laing, one of the best-known psychiatrists of modern times, was born in Glasgow in 1927. R.D. Laing's writings range from books on social theory to verse, as well as numerous articles and reviews in scientific journals and the popular press. His many publications include The Divided Self, Self and Others, Interpersonal Perception, The Politics of Experience and The Bird of Paradise, Madness and Folly. R.D. Laing died in 1989. Anthony David graduated in medicine from Glasgow University in 1980. After training in neurology he switched to psychiatry at the Maudsley & Bethlem Hospitals. He is currently Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London. He has edited several books including The Self in Neuroscience and Psychiatry (2003) with T. Kircher, and Insight and Psychosis (2nd ed., 2004) with X. Amador, and is author of over 350 publications in peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals.
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