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My Madness Saved Me: The Madness and Marriage of Virginia Woolf
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My Madness Saved Me: The Madness and Marriage of Virginia Woolf Hardcover - 2006

by Thomas Szasz


From the publisher

The vast literature on Virginia Woolf's life, work, and marriage falls into two groups. A large majority is certain that she was mentally ill, and a small minority is equally certain that she was not mentally ill but was misdiagnosed by psychiatrists. In this daring exploration of Woolf's life and work, Thomas Szasz--famed for his radical critique of psychiatric concepts, coercions, and excuses--examines the evidence and rejects both views. Instead, he looks at how Virginia Woolf, as well as her husband Leonard, used the concept of madness and the profession of psychiatry to manage and manipulate their own and each other's lives.

Do we explain achievement when we attribute it to the fictitious entity we call "genius"? Do we explain failure when we attribute it to the fictitious entity we call "madness"? Or do we deceive ourselves the same way that the person deceives himself when he attributes the easy ignition of hydrogen to its being "flammable"? Szasz interprets Virginia Woolf's life and work as expressions of her character, and her character as the "product" of her free will. He offers this view as a corrective against the prevailing, ostensibly scientific view that attributes both her "madness" and her "genius" to biological-genetic causes. We tend to attribute exceptional achievement to genius, and exceptional failure to madness. Both, says Szasz, are fictitious entities.

Details

  • Title My Madness Saved Me: The Madness and Marriage of Virginia Woolf
  • Author Thomas Szasz
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition 1st
  • Pages 170
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Routledge, New Brunswick
  • Date 2006-01
  • ISBN 9780765803214 / 0765803216
  • Weight 0.93 lbs (0.42 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.26 x 6.36 x 0.7 in (23.52 x 16.15 x 1.78 cm)
  • Themes
    • Interdisciplinary Studies: Women's Studies
  • Library of Congress subjects Novelists, English - 20th century, Women and literature - England - History -
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2005051419
  • Dewey Decimal Code B

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Citations

  • Foreword, 08/19/2009, Page 0
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My Madness Saved Me: The Madness and Marriage of Virginia Woolf

My Madness Saved Me: The Madness and Marriage of Virginia Woolf

by Thomas Szasz

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Hardback. New. Looks at how Virginia Woolf, as well as her husband Leonard, used the concept of madness and the profession of psychiatry to manage and manipulate their own and each other's lives. The author interprets Virginia Woolf's life and work as expressions of her character, and her character as the "product" of her free will.
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$166.02
$12.74 shipping to USA
My Madness Saved Me: The Madness And Marriage of Virginia Woolf
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

My Madness Saved Me: The Madness And Marriage of Virginia Woolf

by Thomas Szasz

  • New
  • Hardcover
Condition
New
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780765803214
ISBN 10
0765803216
Quantity Available
1
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Transaction Pub, 2006. Hardcover. New. second printing edition. 169 pages. 9.00x6.00x0.75 inches.
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My Madness Saved Me: The Madness and Marriage of Virginia Woolf
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My Madness Saved Me: The Madness and Marriage of Virginia Woolf

by Szasz, Thomas

  • New
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ISBN 13
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ISBN 10
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Routledge, 2006-01-30. Hardcover. New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title!
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