In this Book
- Poets on Prozac: Mental Illness, Treatment, and the Creative Process
- Book
- 2008
- Published by: Johns Hopkins University Press
summary
Honorable Mention, 2008 PROSE Award for Best Book in Psychology. Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division of the Association of American Publishers.Poets on Prozac shatters the notion that madness fuels creativity by giving voice to contemporary poets who have battled myriad psychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse.The sixteen essays collected here address many provocative questions: Does emotional distress inspire great work? Is artistry enhanced or diminished by mental illness? What effect does substance abuse have on esthetic vision? Do psychoactive medications impinge on ingenuity? Can treatment enhance inherent talents, or does relieving emotional pain shut off the creative process?Featuring examples of each contributor’s poetry before, during, and after treatment, this original and thoughtful collection finally puts to rest the idea that a tortured soul is one’s finest muse.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- List of Contributors
- pp. ix-xii
- Acknowledgments
- p. xiii
- Introduction
- pp. 1-12
- ONE: Dark Gifts
- pp. 13-22
- TWO: The Desire to Think Clearly
- pp. 23-31
- FOUR: Perfecting the Art of Falling
- pp. 39-50
- FIVE: My Name Is Not Alice
- pp. 51-59
- SIX: My Oldest Voice
- pp. 60-68
- NINE: In the Middle of Life’s Journey
- pp. 92-104
- ELEVEN: Food for Thought
- pp. 117-128
- TWELVE: From Bog to Crystal
- pp. 129-138
- THIRTEEN: In the Country of Motherhood
- pp. 139-146
- FIFTEEN: Chemical Zen
- pp. 161-171
- About the Editor
- p. 183
- Permissions
- p. 184
Additional Information
ISBN
9780801895296
Related ISBN(s)
9780801888397
MARC Record
OCLC
794701443
Pages
200
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No