The anguished and volatile intensity associated with the artistic temperament was once thought to be a symptom of genius or eccentricity peculiar to artists, writers and musicians. Kay Jamison's work, based on her study as a clinical psychologist and researcher in mood disorders, reveals that many artists subject to exalted highs and despairing lows were in fact engaged in a struggle with clinically identifiable manic-depressive illness. Jamison presents proof of the biological foundations of this disease and applies what is known about the illness to the lives and works of some of the world's greatest artists including Byron, Van Gogh, Schumann and Woolf.
Touched With Fire
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
"We of the craft are all crazy," remarked Lord Byron about himself and his fellow poets. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
"We of the craft are all crazy," remarked Lord Byron about himself and his fellow poets. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
98 of 101 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
kay jamison is not only an excellent writer and psychologist but she also knows personally the pain of mental disease. maybe this is the reason why she writes with such enthusiasm and warmth about bipolar writers, poets, musicians and other artists and it seems she is saying to us who struggle with manicdepression that there is something precious inside all of us even though we may never be world class artists. touched with fire is one of the books i always come back to since i find its message comforting. madness is pain but it is also a very strange gift.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Professor Jamison has put together a compelling case for the link between Manic-Depressive Illness and creativity in authors, artists and composers. Based on the words of the persons themselves, their biographers and their doctors. She also shows that it is a genetic illness.
My favourite part: the chapter on Lord Byron is very compelling, as is the following chapter on various other creative personalities.
Critic: Professor Jamison did not discuss the interplay between genetics and environmental factors. E.g. to what extent is the illness influenced by upbringing (e.g. the home environment) - if your grandfather committed suicide & your father committed suicide, how likely are you to do the same even if it is not a genetic pre-disposition? Interestingly however, Lord Byron never saw his daughter Ada beyond her first birthday - yet she grew up (with a sane mother) with some of her father's tendencies (although she was not diagnosed with the illness nor hospitalised).
My favourite part: the chapter on Lord Byron is very compelling, as is the following chapter on various other creative personalities.
Critic: Professor Jamison did not discuss the interplay between genetics and environmental factors. E.g. to what extent is the illness influenced by upbringing (e.g. the home environment) - if your grandfather committed suicide & your father committed suicide, how likely are you to do the same even if it is not a genetic pre-disposition? Interestingly however, Lord Byron never saw his daughter Ada beyond her first birthday - yet she grew up (with a sane mother) with some of her father's tendencies (although she was not diagnosed with the illness nor hospitalised).
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Ms Hampshire
Format:Paperback
Touched With Fire by Kate Redfield Jamison meets her usual standard of excellent writing. This book goes far beyond the usual easy reads on Manic Depression. It is interesting, absorbing and educational and very well written. Kate R. Jamison is an inspirational writer for those seeking to understand Manic Depression.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 75 reviews
3.9 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Book, Yet Difficult to Follow For the Average Person
Touched with Fire, written by Kay Redfield Jamison, deals mainly with the apparent link between manic-depressive illness and the artistic temperament. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Alphonse Bocelli
5.0 out of 5 stars
An eye opener
This book first seems to be a huge daunting mountain of deeply researched material. Once you start on the path of reading, it keeps encouraging and drawing you onwards. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
So beautifully written, so thorough and interesting. A definite must-read for anyone with an interest in the arts and bipolar disorder.
Published on 28 April 2011 by Mrs. P. K. Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thought provoking...
A good read - informative without being dense. Lots of food for thought and some convincing insights into specific cases. Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2009 by Liz
5.0 out of 5 stars
An insight into some amazing minds
This is an amazing book. I hadn't realised how many artists or all genre had manic depression.
Yes the type is a tad small which made me have to really concentrate to... Read more
Yes the type is a tad small which made me have to really concentrate to... Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2008 by JuJuDollie
3.0 out of 5 stars
I wish I could read this
This is a book I really want to read, the content looks to me to be very intriguing. The problem is the print, both the size and the set up on the page. Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2008 by VJ-lulu
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Art, Architecture & Photography
- Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Health Issues > Illnesses & Conditions > Depression
- Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Health Issues > Illnesses & Conditions > Mood Disorders
- Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Medical & Healthcare Practitioners
- Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Psychology & Psychiatry > Applied Psychology > Clinical Psychology
- Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Self Help > Practical & Motivational
- Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Self Help
- Books > Science & Nature > Medicine > Diseases & Disorders > Mental Diseases & Disorders
- Books > Science & Nature > Medicine > Medical Sciences A-Z > Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy
- Books > Science & Nature > Medicine > Medical Sciences A-Z > Psychotherapy & Clinical Psychology
- Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Psychology Textbooks
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Social Issues > Social Welfare & Services
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
