American Melancholy: Constructions of Depression in the Twentieth Century

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by a publication grant from the National Library of Medicine and a grant from the Rachel Upjohn Clinical Scholars Program at the University of Michigan. A precursor to this book was presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Association for the History of Medicine. I want to thank the numerous individuals who made helpful constructive comments, as well as the anonymous reviewers who provided assistance with the published version of that talk (“Science, Gender, and the Emergence of Depression in American Psychiatry, 1952–1980,” Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 61 [2006]: 187–216). I also want to thank Jennifer Gunn and John Eyler, whose gracious invitation to speak at the University of Minnesota in 2007 helped me polish the sections of the book on gender and depression. As a clinician and historian, I am fortunate to be able to move in two communities, both of which have been encouraging as I have worked on this book. I want to thank the students, residents, nurses, social workers, activity therapists, administrative staff, and my faculty colleagues on both the inpatient unit (9C) and psychiatric emergency room (PES) at the University of Michigan Hospital. The teamwork has been inspiring, and my conversations with numerous individuals in these settings have helped to shape my historical arguments about depression. I also want to thank the faculty leaders in the department, especially Oliver Cameron, Gregory Dalack, Rachel Glick, John Greden, David Knesper, Michelle Riba, and Elizabeth Young, who have supported me in this incredible job in which I get to take care of patients and write history. The community of historians of medicine has been wonderful as a source of both inspiration and support. Thank-you to Mary Fissell, Joel Howell, Margaret Humphreys, Howard Markel, Alexandra Stern, and Daniel Todes, all of whom provided important guidance. I also want to particularly thank the history of psychiatry community, especially John Burnham, Ellen Dwyer, Benjamin Harris, Jonathan Sadowsky, and Nancy Tomes, for their help with navigating the process from an idea to a manuscript. Thank you especially to Mark Micale for his support, his critical comments, and his encouragement to ask challenging questions. My biggest thank-you goes to Gerald Grob. Gerry has not only been a constant source of inspiration with his own outstanding ix Acknowledgments x Acknowledgments work, but also he has helped me through conversations, with advice, and by reading my manuscript at a critical juncture. I feel honored to have had the opportunities to learn from him and to enjoy his company. The process of turning the manuscript into a book has been a positive learning experience thanks to the Rutgers University Press, especially series editors Janet Golden and Rima Apple. I also owe a huge thank-you to Doreen Valentine, who not only edited the manuscript but also challenged me to better articulate my thoughts. Finally, I want to thank my closest communities in Ann Arbor. I cannot possibly list everyone who has wished me well in this endeavor, supported me through the rough spots, or celebrated with me as I finished. I do need to thank especially Alison Davidow and Jim Rowe, Bob Davidow and Susan Grubb, Jessica and Omus Hirshbein, and, most important, Peretz, Abigail, and Daniel Hirshbein. Thank you all so much, and I hope I can be there for you as much as you have been there for me. American Melancholy ...