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A History of Delusions

The Glass King, a Substitute Husband and a Walking Corpse
By Victoria Shepherd
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A History of Delusions by Victoria Shepherd delves into the intriguing world of human delusions across history. By exploring peculiar beliefs and the impact they've had on individuals and societies, the book offers a fascinating blend of psychological insights and historical narrative. It's a captivating examination of how our minds can be influenced and the broader implications this has had throughout time.
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Format: Hardback
$4299
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the intricacies of the human mind and how delusions have shaped personal histories and broader societal narratives. It offers a unique blend of historical analysis and psychological insight, providing an engaging exploration into how delusions can influence individuals and cultural contexts throughout time.

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A History of Delusions

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.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! 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.

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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: 0g

Pages: 352

Collections

Education & Reference Health & Wellness History & Military Mindset & Self Help New Year, New You Non-Fiction Personal Development Philosophy & Psychology Science & Nature Self-Help & Personal Development Victoria Shepherd

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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