Definition of Suicide

by Edwin S. Shneidman

ing on philosophy, psychology, and systems theory, this work presents a fresh, new approach to understanding suicide. Presents fourteen common characteristics of suicide, each of which is carefully described in both theoretical and clinical terms. Includes a section on the prevention of suicide and a detailed case study, illustrating the cognitive aspects of suicide using the text of Melville's great psychological novel, Moby Dick

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Dr. Edwin S. Shneidman (born c. 1918) is a noted American suicidologist/thanatologist. He with co-workers from the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center provided a major stimulus to research into suicide and its prevention. He was the founder of the American Association of Suicidology and of the principal United States journal for suicide studies, Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior. He is Professor of Thanatology Emeritus at the University of California and lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Robert Bogue]

It’s hard to address something that you don’t have a clear definition of. That’s why Edwin Schneidman wrote Definition of Suicide. He’s not the only person to tackle this definitional challenge, but he may be the person with the most experience.

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