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Book Review of Women and Madness

Women and Madness
Women and Madness
Author: Phyllis Chesler
Genre: Nonfiction
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
reviewed on + 201 more book reviews


Over 300 pages!

Los Angeles Times said: "A stunning book... absolutely fascinating and... necessary to every woman in America."

The back cover says: "Every year hundreds of thousands of American women seek or are forced to receive some form of mental health care--either in institutions or through private therapy. From the time of Sigmund Freud to the present day, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and psychologists have been treating or committing women for depression, suicidal behavior, and anxiety or for aggressiveness, angry behavior, and a stubbborn refusal to conform. For the most part, these professionals have been, and still are, white, middle-class, and most importatn male. Now Phyllis Chesler, a qualified psychologist and a concerned feminist, brings an impassioned indictment against a century of psychiatric theory and practice. She calls upon the personal and moving testimony of women of all ages and social backgrounds who have been institutionalized or privately treated. Dr. Chesler's controversial interpretation and her mandate for a new, unconventional female psychology offer new hope to every woman in our society."