With irreverent humor, a surreal imagination, and elements of eastern philosophy, this coming-of-age story captures the point of view of a young clinical psychologist, Thomas Holden. A keen observer with a comic eye, Holden's ongoing internal musings, along with his experiences with patients and staff, expose both the absurdity and idealism inherent in psychotherapeutic practice. Ultimately overwhelmed by exhaustion and bewildered by the paradoxical behaviors of his newest patient - a "John Doe" with no memory or identity - Holden wonders whether he too is losing his grip on reality.
Description:
Thomas Holden, a psychology intern working in a psychiatric hospital, is in trouble. The depressed patient he discharged yesterday was run over by a mail truck. Was it suicide? Is he responsible for her death? His new patient Richard Mobin is a violent paranoid schizophrenic who drowns baby birds and thinks men in raincoats are plotting to kill him. If that isn't enough, Holden is assigned yet another difficult patient - a "John Doe" who apparently has no memory or identity, a man whom police found wandering the highway, collecting and burying road kill. But is this John Doe truly crazy, or is there something he's hiding? Is he working some scheme against Holden?
Reviews:
"Madman is a genuine tour de force, maintaining an emotionally powerful grip on the reader while presenting an intellectually sound introduction to the world of clinical psychology. In the context of an action-packed suspenseful novel, Professor Suler presents the fundamental theoretical and historical foundations of clinical psychology side by side with the real-world practical problems that challenge the wisdom of the theories. This is a good read for all mental health professionals and anyone who is contemplating becoming one. I couldn t put it down until it ended, and I had a hard time letting go when it did." -- Edward S. Katkin, Leading Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry, Stony Brook University
College Student Reviews:
"It pulled me in from beginning to end...hilarious!"
"One of the best novels I have read in college and a work of literature."
"I liked every aspect of the book, it kept me wanting to read more. I never wanted to put it down."
"I loved the character Thomas Holden. He s amazing. I would be reading along and then all of a sudden he would say something so outrageous or funny that I would have to highlight the sentence or reread it."
"This book really inspired me to continue my career in psychology."
"From the beginning it draws you in and makes you feel like you re really there."
"Realistic and authentic. It takes the reader through three continuous days on the unit and the thoughts running through the psychologist s mind."
About the Author:
John Suler PhD, Professor of Psychology at Rider University, is internationally recognized as a founder of the fields of Cyberpsychology and Photographic Psychology. His groundbreaking work "The Psychology of Cyberspace" is one of the first and most widely cited online hypertext books.
An expert in emerging fields of psychology, he has also published widely on the integration of eastern philosophy and psychoanalysis. His collected works on that subject can be found in the book "Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Eastern Thought" (State University of New York Press), a tour de force showcasing Suler s talent for dazzling integrative thinking combined with an experience-near writing style. The novel MADMAN follows from this work, combining the imagination of Vonnegut, the coming-of-age storytelling of JD Salinger, and the penchant for sidebar essays reminiscent of Robert Pirsig.