Madness in Post-1945 British and American Fiction

This is one of the first books to comprehensively explore representations of madness in postwar British and American Fiction. The book looks at representations of madness in a range of texts by postwar writers (such as Ken Kesey, Marge Piercy, Patrick McGrath, Leslie Marmon Silko, William Golding, Patrick Gale, William Burroughs and J.G. Ballard, to name a few), and explores the ways in which these representations help to shape public perceptions and how they portray highly unique experiences of mental disorder. The five authors come from diverse backgrounds -- literary studies, social psychology, medical psychiatry and psychiatric nursing -- and as such the book's perspectives are informed through several discourses, making it a unique co-authored text in the discipline of Health Humanities. This book is of relevance to both those with interests in literary studies, and is a vital read for psychiatric clinicians and professionals who are interested in how literature can inform and enhance clinical practices. Those who have been affected by mental health issues will also find this book both relevant and empathic to such human experiences.