Cruelest Death [Paperback]

David Lester (Author), Lester (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1992

Richard Stockton State College, New Jersey. Review of mental health professionals and social workers on the causes of teenage suicide. Uses case studies. Focuses on prevention strategies at the professional level and at home.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in the United States among persons under the age of 24. Noted suicidologist, lecturer, and author Lester addresses this growing phenomenon in the latest of his many works on the subject of suicide ( Why People Kill Themselves , C.C. Thomas, 1983. 2d ed.; Questions and Answers About Suicide , LJ 9/1/89, among others). All facets of adolescent suicide are covered, including a statistical overview; a review of possible causes and predictors of the suicidal impulse in young persons; suggestions for prevention, assessment, and treatment; and advice for survivors. Theoretical analysis is skillfully blended with case histories, and the unique aspects of adolescent suicide are stressed throughout. Thorough and current references conclude each chapter. An important contribution to the study of suicide; recommended for school, public, and academic libraries.
- Linda Cullum, Lake Superior State Univ. Lib., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Charles Press Pubs(PA); 1 edition (January 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0914783645
• ISBN-13: 978-0914783640
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,425,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in London in 1942 and slept in an air raid shelter for my first three years. I wanted to be a physicist, but I got my BA at Cambridge University in psychology. I emigrated to the USA in 1964 for graduate study with Abraham Maslow at Brandeis University. I've researched and written about suicide since then, but also about topics such as murder, the death penalty, life after death and the fear of death. I have a badly written, unpublished detective story (on www.drdavidlester.net), so I decided that I had better stick to scholarly writing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important contribution to the study of suicide, January 18, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Cruelest Death (Paperback)

In this best-selling book, eminent suicidologist David Lester offers a startling look at what we know about adolescent suicide - the third leading cause of death among young people in the U.S. - and what we can do to prevent it. Through case studies and a detailed review of the literature, Lester opens the doors to understanding this tragedy and gives us the knowledge necessary for successful intervention.

CONTENTS:

Introduction 1 Two Cases of Youth Suicide 2 The Incidence of Adolescent Suicide 3 Youth Suicide Around the World 4 The Suicidal Act 5 Psychiatric Illness and Adolescent Suicide 6 Perinatal Influences on Adolescent Suicide 7 Childhood Experiences and Suicide 8 Suicide Clusters and Subcultures 9 Double Suicides and Suicide Pacts 10 A Deviant Theory of Adolescent Suicide 11 Assessing Suicidality: A Chapter for the Professional 12 Treatment and Therapy 13 Helping Your Suicidal Child: A Chapter for Parents 14 Suicide Prevention in Schools 15 Coping with the Suicide of an Adolescent