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Christopher Lane

Goodreads Author

Born

London, The United Kingdom

Website

https://www.christopherlane.org

Twitter

christophlane

Genre

Psychology, Science, Nonfiction

Member Since

December 2010

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Literary & Medical Historian | DSM Examiner | Yale Press Author

Christopher Lane investigates how modern institutions define normal behavior, belief, and doubt.

His prize-winning study Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness (Yale, 2007) exposed the controversy over major changes to American psychiatry’s diagnostic manual in the 1980s and 90s, including how guesswork and faulty science, loose criteria and undisclosed conflicts of interest led to skyrocketing rates of social anxiety disorder and the creation of six other anxiety disorders that we still use today for insurance billing. Translated into six languages, based on exhaustive archival research and in-depth interviews, Shyness was highly commended by the British Medical Associat ...more

20 posts
Christopher Lane's Blog

Medical Negligence or Psychiatric Malpractice?

A riveting new book takes a fresh look at a landmark ruling that changed the path of American psychiatry.

View more on Christopher Lane's website »

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Published on October 06, 2026 08:02

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Christopher Lane’s books

Average rating: 3.99 · 388 ratings · 212 reviews · 9 distinct works • Similar authors

	Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness 3.72 avg rating — 239 ratings — published 2007 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Surge of Piety: Norman Vincent Peale and the Remaking of American Religious Life 4.44 avg rating — 61 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	La timidez : Cómo la psiquiatría y la industria farmacéutica han convertido emociones cotidianas en enfermedad 4.95 avg rating — 22 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Age of Doubt: Tracing the Roots of Our Religious Uncertainty 4.32 avg rating — 25 ratings — published 2011 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Psychoanalysis of Race 4.41 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 1998 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hatred and Civility: The Antisocial Life in Victorian England 4.47 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2003 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Imperial Desire: Dissident Sexualities and Colonial Literature by Philip Joseph Holden, Richard J. Ruppel (Editor), Christopher Lane (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 3.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2003 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Ruling Passion: British Colonial Allegory and the Paradox of Homosexual Desire 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1995 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Burdens of Intimacy: Psychoanalysis and Victorian Masculinity liked it 3.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1998 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Christopher’s Recent Updates

Christopher Lane wrote a new blog post Medical Negligence or Psychiatric Malpractice? A riveting new book takes a fresh look at a landmark ruling that changed the path of American psychiatry.
Oct 07, 2026 06:58AM · like
Christopher Lane liked Ken Robert's review of Surge of Piety: Norman Vincent Peale and the Remaking of American Religious Life: "I really enjoyed the investigative side of this book. Rather than simply celebrating or criticizing Peale, Lane digs into the institutions, relationships, and historical circumstances that helped his movement grow. The result is a much more complicat" Read more of this review »
Sep 08, 2026 07:14AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Surge of Piety by Christopher Lane. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Surge of Piety by Christopher Lane <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Christopher Lane liked Garret Barry's review of Surge of Piety: Norman Vincent Peale and the Remaking of American Religious Life: "A well-researched exploration of a figure whose influence extends far beyond his famous book. Lane shows how Norman Vincent Peale’s ideas contributed to a changing religious and cultural landscape in America. The connections between religion and psyc" Read more of this review »
Sep 08, 2026 07:14AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Surge of Piety by Christopher Lane. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Surge of Piety by Christopher Lane <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Christopher Lane liked Ashley's review of Surge of Piety: Norman Vincent Peale and the Remaking of American Religious Life: "One of the strongest aspects of this book is the way Lane places Peale within the larger anxieties of his time. The Cold War, fear of nuclear conflict, changing ideas about religion, and the rise of self-help all provide important context. I found th" Read more of this review »
Sep 08, 2026 07:14AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Surge of Piety by Christopher Lane. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Surge of Piety by Christopher Lane <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Christopher Lane made a comment on Raully’s review of Surge of Piety: Norman Vincent Peale and the Remaking of American Religious Life " Sorry I missed this earlier! I am most definitely interested in Peale's major, contributing role in pushing acceptance of the American prosperity gosp ...more "
Jun 11, 2026 07:22AM · see review
Christopher Lane is now following Ed Hirschland and Maher Razouk
May 17, 2026 01:50AM
Christopher Lane rated a book it was amazing Everyone Else is Lying to You: How our medical establishment weaponized doubt to spread COVID, normalize quackery, and undermine public health by Jonathan Howard MD	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Outstanding. Extremely troubling but a powerful and necessary read.
Nov 01, 2025 02:21PM · like · see review
Christopher Lane rated a book it was amazing Small Rain by Garth Greenwell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 20, 2024 03:24PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Small Rain by Garth Greenwell. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Small Rain by Garth Greenwell <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">