In this revised edition of a volume originally published in 1989, Lawrence Broer extends his comprehensive critique of the body of writing by Kurt Vonnegut. Broer offers a broad psychoanalytic study of Vonnegut’s works from Player Piano to Hocus Pocus, taking a decisively new approach to the work of one of America’s most important, yet often misinterpreted writers. A compelling and original analysis, Sanity Plea, explores how Vonnegut incorporates his personal experiences into an art that is not defeatist, but rather creatively therapeutic and life-affirming.

The prosecutor- Julia Valenciano. Young, ambitious and facing a case that could launch her career. The defendant - David Marquette. A successful Miami surgeon and devoted family man. The victims - Marquette's own wife and three small children. The plea- Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. But the state suspects Marquette's insanity defence is being fabricated to disguise murders that were cold-blooded and calculated. Worse, Julia believes Marquette could be responsible for a string of unsolved, brutal homicides. The distraught survivor could just be one of the most prolific and elusive serial killers in Florida's history. The trial will take Julia on a painful personal journey back to a past she has struggled for fifteen years to forget. And it will bring her face to face with a future that is so frightening, she's not sure if she even wants to see it.

Two experts on law and psychiatry examine the insanity defense and the role of the psychiatrist in the court- room, reviewing seven cases of murder and attempted mur- der, and offer recommedations for change.

Resource added for the Paralegal program 101101.

Thomas Szasz wrote over thirty books and several hundred articles, replete with mordant criticism of psychiatry, in both scientific and popular periodicals. His works made him arguably one of the world's most recognized psychiatrists, albeit one of the most controversial. These writings have been translated into several languages and have earned him a worldwide following. Szasz was a man of towering intellect, sweeping historical knowledge, and deep-rooted, mostly libertarian, philosophical beliefs. He wrote with a lucid and acerbic wit, but usually in a way that is accessible to general readers. His books cautioned against the indiscriminate power of psychiatry in courts and in society, and against the apparent rush to medicalize all human folly. They have spawned an eponymous ideology that has influenced, to various degrees, laws relating to mental health in several countries and states. This book critically examines the legacy of Thomas Szasz - a man who challenged the very concept of mental illness and questioned several practices of psychiatrists. The book surveys his many contributions including those in psychoanalysis, which are very often overlooked by his critics. While admiring his seminal contribution to the debate, the book will also point to some of his assertions that merit closer scrutiny. Contributors to the book are drawn from various disciplines, including Psychiatry, Philosophy and Law; and are from various countries including the United States, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Some contributors knew Thomas Szasz personally and spent many hours with him discussing issues he raised in his books and articles. The book will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in matters of mental health, human rights, and ethics.