“This book is about the history of McLean Hospital. McLean is one of the most famous and elite mental institutions in America. The book chronicles the hospital from the begining (starting with buying the land!) through today and what is being done to keep the hospital open. It is also not just about the hospital but about the evolution of psychology, psychotherapy, and the attitudes about mental illness. However, the best way to describe what this book is about is summed up at the end of chapter one by the author. When asked why he wrote this book, he writes:
"...life is impossible. Who can't understand the need for shelter? And who can't sympathize with the people who seek that shelter? And who could fail to be interested in a place that offered that shelter?
So this is a book about the men and women who needed shelter more than most of us, or who, in some cases, were more honet about their need for protection than we are. And about an institution that provided that shelter, imperfectly, in our imperfect world."
These paragraphs really touched me and it sums up this book perfectly. This book is not just about a hospital, but about the people who lived and worked at the institution who were trying to help people in need, even if they failed sometimes. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in it. ”
Lisa B wrote this review Saturday, August 2 2008.
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