About the Author

Born in Budapest, Hungary, Thomas Szasz is professor emeritus of psychiatry at the State University of New York in Syracuse, where he has taught since 1956. He earned his M.D. from the University of Cincinnati and received psychoanalytic training at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. In addition to THE MYTH OF MENTAL ILLNESS, his best-known work, Dr. Szasz is the author of 30 scholarly books and numerous academic articles.

Reviews

“The landmark book that argued that psychiatry consistently expands its definition of mental illness to impose its authority over moral and cultural conflict.” — New York Times

“Enormously courageous and highly infomative, and it makes fascinating reading . . . bold and often brilliant.” — Science

“Controversial and influential . . . an iconoclastic work.” — Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review

“Szasz’s radical views on mental illness and drug addiction have been presented with great consistency and courage . . . I predict that Dr. Szasz’s work and thought will once again come to the fore: he takes the long view.” — Will Self, The Times (London)

“A classic.” — Salon.com

“A damning critique of mental illness . . . a classic work.” — Toronto Star

“Quite probably, Szasz has done more than any other man to alert the American public to the potential dangers of an excessively psychiatrized society.” — Atlantic Monthly