Jay’s Reviews > Psychiatry and Its Discontents > Status Update

The Mangling Memories chapter was short but very disturbing. That chapter alone was worth the price of admission. I recoiled at first & had to put the book down, but powered through. It's examination of one lobotomist & the way his victim was treated is quite representative of the whole history of psychiatry. Could be a great introductory read to Henrietta Lax's story.
Foundation and funding were weak chapters.

1. A chapter that provides a satisfying take-down of Freud largely based on the work of Crews.
2. Sexism and psychiatry through the Meyer, Richter, Phyllis Greenacre triad. And the tragedy of Henry Cotton's deadly medical experimentation which Greenacre could have exposed had it not been for Meyer's sexist nepotism and prudish hypocrisy.

Not much on Szasz and Patients Liberation movements that I was hoping for. Disheartening to read his critique of Foucault's Madness and Civilization after finally reading him. Great stuff to use on social Darwinism, Nazis, Vichy France and savage critiques of psychiatry. Not as helpful for my paper, but lots of teachable material in here (and a few books to read and movies to watch). Definitely will enjoy the rest