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A History of Delusions
The Glass King, a Substitute Husband and a Walking Corpse
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A History of Delusions
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The extraordinary worlds created in our minds
The king of France who believed he was made of glass and other historical cases, showing the extraordinary ways the brain can misfire, from ancient times to present. In the vein of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks.
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Description
From the presenter of the Radio 4 hit series A History of Delusions.
Why would someone wake up and claim they’re Napoleon? Or believe they have been turned into a wolf and demand to be fed raw meat? For centuries, we’ve dismissed delusions as a problem for the shrinks to sort out in distant asylums.
But delusions are more than just bizarre case studies – they tell stories of collective anxieties and traumas. In this groundbreaking history, Victoria Shepherd explores delusions from ancient times to present and implores us to identify reason in apparent madness. Isn’t it perfectly understandable to believe you’ve got the wrong head when the guillotine takes the heads of hundreds every day? Who cannot sympathise with the man who believes he is already dead, when all his comrades died in the battlefields?
We all have it in us to become delusional. In understanding delusions, we come closer to understanding ourselves.
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?
Victoria Shepherd's exploration of delusions has been lauded as a varied and thought-provoking journey through history. Reviewers praise its compassionate and fascinating approach, often comparing her narrative style and empathy to that of Oliver Sacks. The book is noted for its meticulous research and evocative storytelling, which connects readers with its historical subjects and offers insights into the human mind. Through riveting case studies, Shepherd provides a humane and deeply informative account that highlights the complexity and paradoxes of delusional thinking.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780861540914
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 02 June 2022
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Oneworld Publications
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 135.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Victoria Shepherd conceived and produced the ten-part series A History of Delusions for BBC Radio 4. She has produced scores of documentaries and major strands for BBC Radio 4; she is also a writer, with an M.A. in creative writing from the University of East Anglia.
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