From Publishers Weekly
Set against the backdrop of changing attitudes toward mental illness in the 20th century, El-Hai's scholarly biography of Dr. Walter Freeman is a moving portrait of failed greatness. Born to a distinguished family of physicians, he rose to become one of the most celebrated doctors of his generation. Best known as the doctor responsible for the widespread adoption of lobotomy in America after WWII, he also made signal contributions to the science of medicine through his career-long involvement with George Washington University Medical School and St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C. Yet, despite his achievements, the procedure he helped develop and tirelessly champion would ultimately become his undoing. As physicians sought other, less drastic means to treat mental illness, Freeman's unorthodox methods, which often included an ice pick and carpenter's hammer, came to seem barbaric. When he died in 1972, the sharply negative view of psychosurgery expressed in books like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962) had become commonplace; a mere decade later, movies like Frances (1982) would openly portray lobotomy as institutionalized torture. Although the title of El-Hai's biography might suggest otherwise, he eschews such lurid oversimplifications and portrays Freeman in all his human complexity. To this end, he chronicles Freeman's crusade to help millions of asylum patients who might otherwise remain incarcerated indefinitely; his indefatigable postoperative commitment to his patients; and his flamboyant personality and macabre sense of humor in and out of the operating room. El-Hai's book succeeds as both an empathetic, nuanced portrait of one of America's most complex public figures and as a record of the cultural shifts that have occurred in the treatment of mental illness over the last century. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Though the word lobotomy conjures chilling images of brain-piercing ice picks and vacant-eyed, zombielike patients seemingly sleepwalking through the halls of mental institutions, El-Hai tackles the controversial procedure and its inventor, Walter Freeman, with the dispassionate reserve of a trained journalist. Relying heavily upon Freeman's notes, letters, and journals, El-Hai reconstructs the life of a man whose main mission, aside from personal glory, was to help the helpless. That he selected what many consider little short of brain butchery to do so demonstrates, more than anything, the sort of man Freeman was. Driven, egotistical, brilliant, and focused, Freeman is as fascinating as the chronicle of twentieth-century psychiatry in which El-Hai sets his story. Freeman's procedure inspired many, not always to the good. Soviet as well as American intelligence officials experimented with lobotomy to control political insurgents. Fortunately, it sickened others. Generally, lobotomy was considered to have improved the lives of many but damaged those of many others. Even today, it remains at the center of ongoing controversy between two factions of psychiatry. Donna Chavez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
According to freelance journalist El-Hai, Walter Freeman (1895-1972) was "the most scorned physician of the twentieth century" except for Nazi Joseph Mengele. In this first biography, he deftly chronicles the rise and fall of Freeman and the procedure he championed. Nearly 70 years ago, Freeman began refining lobotomy, in which a sharp instrument is inserted under the patient's eyelid and into the frontal lobes of the brain; this resulted in nerve damage that seemed to offer remarkable cures in many psychiatric patients. Over time, the operation became widely adopted by the medical community and supported by mental health professionals, families, and many patients themselves. Yet there were always dissenters who attacked lobotomy as useless, cruel, or indeed criminal. Freeman, in turn, spent his entire career performing, promoting, and justifying the operation-even after the development of drugs like chlorpormazine that offered the promise of "chemical" lobotomies. By the time of his death, lobotomy had been gone for more than a decade. A worthy purchase for any library, especially for medical and large public libraries. --A.J. Wright, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham (Library Journal, January 15, 2005)
"In The Lobotomist, Jack El-Hai's lively biography, Freeman comes across as a classic American type, a do-gooder and a go-getter with a bit of the huckster thrown in." --William Grimes, The New York Times
"Driven, egotistical, brilliant, and focused, Freeman is as fascinating as the chronicle of twentieth-century psychiatry in which El-Hai sets his story." --Donna Chavez, Booklist
"There are more curious characters than Freeman in the annals of medical history, but few are so curiously American."--Verlyn Klinkenborg, Discover Magazine
"In this first biography, El-Hai deftly chronicles the rise and fall of Freeman and the procedure he championed." --Library Journal
"Good biographers must keep an open mind, to avoid stereotyping and reductionism. Fortunately, El-Hai turns out to be a good biographer."--Steve Weinberg, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Review
"...a worthy purchase" (Library Journal, January 15, 2005)
"In The Lobotomist, Jack El-Hai's lively biography, Freeman comes across as a classic American type, a do-gooder and a go-getter with a bit of the huckster thrown in." --William Grimes, The New York Times
"Driven, egotistical, brilliant, and focused, Freeman is as fascinating as the chronicle of twentieth-century psychiatry in which El-Hai sets his story." --Donna Chavez, Booklist
"There are more curious characters than Freeman in the annals of medical history, but few are so curiously American."--Verlyn Klinkenborg, Discover Magazine
"In this first biography, El-Hai deftly chronicles the rise and fall of Freeman and the procedure he championed." --Library Journal
"Good biographers must keep an open mind, to avoid stereotyping and reductionism. Fortunately, El-Hai turns out to be a good biographer."--Steve Weinberg, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Review
"This captivating book chronicles the life of a man who brought showmanship to science and touched the grey matter of a generation of mentally ill patients. Part genius, part maniac, Freeman changed forever the way we understand the link between mind and brain, and though his procedures are discredited, his biological approach to mental illness is ascendant. No history of modern psychiatry is complete without his story."
--Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon
"The moment Walter Freeman's gaze lands on an ice pick in his kitchen drawer, you know you're in for a rollicking ride. This is the biography not just of Walter Freeman but of the lobotomy, a procedure as bizarre and tragic and compelling as Freeman himself. Impressively researched and even-handed, El-Hai's book unravels the man inside the monster. A fascinating read."
--Mary Roach, author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
"Vividly written and meticlously reseached, The Lobotomist is a thoughtful and absorbing biography. With skill and grace, Jack El-Hai lays bare the life and obsessions of one of the most controversial figures in American medical history. A terrific read!"
--Dave Isay, award-winning NPR Producer and MacArthur Fellow
"Notorious barely begins to describe the lobotomy, one of the most controversial medical procedures ever known. Jack El-Hai makes its rise understandable at last by bringing to life the complicated, all-too-human doctor who built his career on promoting the lobotomy. This is a lucid and thoughtful account of a remarkable chapter in the history of medicine."
--T. J. Stiles, author of Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War
"Jack El-Hai has written an absorbing, unsettling and cautionary story of the man who sold the lowly ice pick as the surgical solution to the mental illness of tens of thousands of people…. The author, a respected science journalist, started his research assuming that Freeman was akin to Josef Mengele. He ends this book with a nuanced, haunted view of his subject… With The Lobotomist, El-Hai gives his readers a first-class biography and, without saying so, a tutorial in the sober need for professional humility."-- Karen R. Long, Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A moving portrait of failed greatness… El-Hai’s book succeeds as both an empathetic, nuanced portrait of one of America’s most complex public figures and as a record of the cultural shifts that have occurred in the treatment of mental illness over the last century." --Publishers Weekly
"Who would predict that a book about a brutal, discredited brain operation could be such fun? But The Lobotomist IS fun — for those of us whose idea of fun is having our most cherished beliefs turned on their heads. Jack El-Hai has done a masterful job of bringing to life a brilliant, slightly cruel, wholly original scientist whose contribution to the treatment of mental illness has too long been misunderstood."-- Robin Marantz Henig, author of Pandora's Baby: How the First Test Tube Babies Sparked the Reproductive Revolution
Book Description
Advance Praise for the lobotomist
"This captivating book chronicles the life of a man who brought showmanship to science and touched the grey matter of a generation of mentally ill patients. Part genius, part maniac, Freeman changed forever the way we understand the link between mind and brain, and though his procedures are discredited, his biological approach to mental illness is ascendant. No history of modern psychiatry is complete without this story." —Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon
"The moment Walter Freeman's gaze lands on an ice pick in his kitchen drawer, you know you're in for a rollicking ride. This is the biography not just of Walter Freeman but of the lobotomy, a procedure as bizarre and tragic and compelling as Freeman himself. Impressively researched and even-handed, El-Hai's book unravels the man inside the monster. A fascinating read." —Mary Roach, author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
"Vividly written and meticulously researched, The Lobotomist is a thoughtful and absorbing biography. With skill and grace, Jack El-Hai lays bare the life and obsessions of one of the most controversial figures in American medical history. A terrific read!" —Dave Isay, award-winning NPR Producer and MacArthur Fellow
"Notorious barely begins to describe the lobotomy, one of the most controversial medical procedures ever known. Jack El-Hai makes its rise understandable at last by bringing to life the complicated, all-too-human doctor who built his career on promoting the lobotomy. This is a lucid and thoughtful account of a remarkable chapter in the history of medicine." —T. J. Stiles, author of Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War
From the Inside Flap
Dr. Walter J. Freeman ranks as one of the most scorned physicians of the twentieth century, a man widely remembered as a loose cannon who worked beyond the boundaries of accepted medical practice to appease his own personal demons. The myths surrounding Freeman and the operation that made him famous—lobotomy—still persist today. Lobotomies turn people into human vegetables . . . Freeman lobotomized actress Frances Farmer . . . he carried a set of gold-plated ice picks . . . he lost his license to practice medicine . . . the list goes on.
Yet, many of the most important medical figures during Freeman's time lent their support to his work, effectively pulling lobotomy into the mainstream of medical practice. Many of Freeman's patients, some of them writing and speaking with astonishing clarity, observed how their lobotomies had changed them for the better. So how is it that both physicians and patients supported a procedure that today seems outrageous, even barbaric? And why did Freeman remain a forceful proponent of lobotomy even after most other physicians abandoned it in favor of newer forms of psychiatric treatment?
In The Lobotomist, Jack El-Hai examines these puzzling questions, taking a penetrating look into the life of a complex scientific genius who defies easy description. Drawing on the mountain of documents Freeman left in the wake of his half-century-long career—a treasure trove of books, articles, letters, journals, and memoirs—as well as interviews with Freeman's family, El-Hai presents a controversial view of this physician as a brilliant but flawed figure who, along with his partner, neurosurgeon James Watts, tried to rescue people once deemed incurable from permanent institutionalization.
Following Freeman during his childhood, his college years, and his growing fascination with the brain, El-Hai explores how the doctor became a rising star in neurology. He traces Freeman's wild journey as he refined and promoted lobotomy, which placed him in the middle of the long-running conflict between the biological and behavioral camps of psychiatry. El-Hai also provides a fascinating look at the evolution of psychiatric medicine through the eras of shock therapy, psychoanalysis, and pharmaceuticals. He reveals how Freeman's shadow looms over a new generation of physicians who practice today's psychiatric surgery—with better technology, a better understanding of the brain, and better ethical guidelines.
Intriguing, provoking, and at times unsettling, The Lobotomist is a unique take on the legacy of Dr. Freeman and his work, presenting a side of the story many have yet to hear.
From the Back Cover
Advance Praise for the lobotomist
"This captivating book chronicles the life of a man who brought showmanship to science and touched the grey matter of a generation of mentally ill patients. Part genius, part maniac, Freeman changed forever the way we understand the link between mind and brain, and though his procedures are discredited, his biological approach to mental illness is ascendant. No history of modern psychiatry is complete without this story." —Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon
"The moment Walter Freeman's gaze lands on an ice pick in his kitchen drawer, you know you're in for a rollicking ride. This is the biography not just of Walter Freeman but of the lobotomy, a procedure as bizarre and tragic and compelling as Freeman himself. Impressively researched and even-handed, El-Hai's book unravels the man inside the monster. A fascinating read." —Mary Roach, author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
"Vividly written and meticulously researched, The Lobotomist is a thoughtful and absorbing biography. With skill and grace, Jack El-Hai lays bare the life and obsessions of one of the most controversial figures in American medical history. A terrific read!" —Dave Isay, award-winning NPR Producer and MacArthur Fellow
"Notorious barely begins to describe the lobotomy, one of the most controversial medical procedures ever known. Jack El-Hai makes its rise understandable at last by bringing to life the complicated, all-too-human doctor who built his career on promoting the lobotomy. This is a lucid and thoughtful account of a remarkable chapter in the history of medicine." —T. J. Stiles, author of Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War
About the Author
JACK EL-HAI is the Executive Vice President of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and a winner of the June Roth Memorial Award for Medical Journalism. A contributor to the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post Magazine, American Heritage, and numerous other publications, he lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two daughters.
The Lobotomist: A Maverick Medical Genius and His Tragic Quest to Rid the World of Mental Illness FROM THE PUBLISHER
"Dr. Walter J. Freeman ranks as one of the most scorned physicians of the twentieth century, a man widely remembered as a loose cannon who worked beyond the boundaries of accepted medical practice to appease his own personal demons. The myths surrounding Freeman and the operation that made him famous - lobotomy - still persist today. Lobotomies turn people into human vegetables...Freeman lobotomized actress Frances Farmer...he carried a set of gold-plated ice picks...he lost his license to practice medicine...the list goes on." "Yet, many of the most important medical figures during Freeman's time lent their support to his work, effectively pulling lobotomy into the mainstream of medical practice. Many of Freeman's patients, some of them writing and speaking with astonishing clarity, observed how their lobotomies had changed them for the better. So how is it that both physicians and patients supported a procedure that today seems outrageous, even barbaric? And why did Freeman remain a forceful proponent of lobotomy even after most other physicians abandoned it in favor of newer forms of psychiatric treatment?" In The Lobotomist, Jack El-Hai examines these puzzling questions, taking a look into the life of a complex scientific genius who defies easy description. Drawing on the mountain of documents Freeman left in the wake of his half-century-long career - a treasure trove of books, articles, letters, journals, and memoirs - as well as interviews with Freeman's family, El-Hai presents a controversial view of this physician as a brilliant but flawed figure who, along with his partner, neurosurgeon James Watts, tried to rescue people once deemed incurable from permanent institutionalization.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
According to freelance journalist El-Hai, Walter Freeman (1895-1972) was "the most scorned physician of the twentieth century" except for Nazi Joseph Mengele. In this first biography, he deftly chronicles the rise and fall of Freeman and the procedure he championed. Nearly 70 years ago, Freeman began refining lobotomy, in which a sharp instrument is inserted under the patient's eyelid and into the frontal lobes of the brain; this resulted in nerve damage that seemed to offer remarkable cures in many psychiatric patients. Over time, the operation became widely adopted by the medical community and supported by mental health professionals, families, and many patients themselves. Yet there were always dissenters who attacked lobotomy as useless, cruel, or indeed criminal. Freeman, in turn, spent his entire career performing, promoting, and justifying the operation-even after the development of drugs like chlorpormazine that offered the promise of "chemical" lobotomies. By the time of his death, lobotomy had been gone for more than a decade. A worthy purchase for any library, especially for medical and large public libraries.-A.J. Wright, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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