The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Christopher Columbus is the archetype of the American entrepreneur..." (more)
Key Phrases: most hypomanics, New York, United States, Alexander Hamilton (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Diagnosing the psychiatric condition of dead historical figures is risky business, and in a largely unconvincing book, Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Gartner falls prey to the modern tendency to reduce an individual's actions to a psychiatric diagnosis. He argues that hypomania--a mild form of mania--drove many of America's most famous leaders and entrepreneurs to succeed. The characteristics of hypomania include a restless energy channeled into wildly grand ambitions, a tendency toward euphoria and a feeling of being destined to change the world. In nine brief psychobiographies, Gartner imposes this diagnostic scheme on figures ranging from Christopher Columbus and John Winthrop to David O. Selznick and Craig Venter, the genome entrepreneur. He also contends that hypomania is a peculiarly American trait. Applying terms like "depression" and "hypomania" to Winthrop's spiritual ups and downs, for instance, is anachronistic and reductionist. Gartner does provide some proof of his theory with Venter, whose life and work can be scrutinized firsthand, though he hasn't been on Gartner's couch. The author offers us few useful insights into the lives of these historical figures, nor does he seem to have any qualms about framing his case for an "American temperament" solely in male terms.
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From Booklist

By success, clinical psychologist Gartner means the impressive material achievements of the U.S. When he says "hypomanic," he refers not to clinical mental illness but to "a temperament, characterized by an elevated mood state that feels 'highly intoxicating, powerful, productive and desirable,'" that can, and sometimes does, easily tip over into full-blown manic depression. One by one he puts several Founding Fathers and a handful of epic-level business leaders--the likes of Columbus, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Carnegie, and genome giant Craig Ventor--through psychological tests to determine whether they fit the hypomanic mold. Turns out, Gartner says, that not only have many of the nation's most charismatic leaders been certifiable hypomanics but at least one was, quite likely, genuinely bipolar. Lest anybody think this is a bad thing, Gartner asserts that without the risk-taking, no-holds-barred temperaments of these overachievers, the U.S. would never have gained its current status as the wealthiest nation in the world. Entertaining, thought-provoking stuff. Donna Chavez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743243447
• ISBN-13: 978-0743243445
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #254,228 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Honest Self-Reflection, October 20, 2005

By	Kevin C. Kelly "kk262kk" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm noticing in the "Self-Help" or "Motivational" genre of books, a lot of them basically describe various types of personalities through rose-colored glasses. Readers then love these books, because they see themselves described in these books in a sympathetic, ego-boosting light. For instance, a lot of unorganized people who fancy themselves to be misunderstood or misguided geniuses or entrepenuers will read this book and say "Oh, this is me -- I'm destined for greatness, just like these people. I'm the one-in-a-million." The books essentially succeed through flattery, but have unfortunate negative consequence of perpetuating people's self-delusion. In reality, 9 out of 10 successful people have aquired some sort of marketable skill, be it nursing or hair-cutting or accounting or masonry or whatever, and then live their lives in a disciplined, planned-out manner. This isn't to say that these authors intentionally flatter readers to sell books -- it's just that books that do somehow flatter readers naturally become popular. So ask yourself -- are you drawn to this book because it reinforces your own self-delusion?

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, March 13, 2005

By	Allan Gold (Baltimore, Maryland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

John Gartner's unique new book is a tour de force It is a page turner which I could not put down. Dr. Gartner brings to life men from each of America's five centuries as he interweaves his story of how genetically driven mood alteration altered America. Hypomania is a form of bipolar disorder that gave these men the restless energy, incessant sleepless speech and work capacities that made them world altering giants, but also the impulsivity, reckless speech, and, with most, delusional excesses which sowed the seeds of their ultimate personal decline. The book reads like a novel but cites an impressive array of sources in over 800 footnotes to document his thesis that America is a nation of immigrants who come here because of their bipolar genes. This "immigrant drive" made America a leader in business, the arts, science, religion and finance, and Dr. Gartner demonstrates how with literary skill and clincal accuracy.

He writes of the supreme accomplishments and pathological excesses of Christopher Columbus, 17th century religious leaders, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Carnagie, the Hollywood Selznicks and Mayers, and the discoverer of the human genome Craig Venter. In each chapter Dr. Gartner gives the reader the background history, and sociological and technological information necessary to highlight the significance of the person's achievment. He uses written sources, but also has impressively and extensively interviewed biographers, colleagues, decendents, and
Dr. Venter himself, making the stories The Hypomanic Edge with information, surprises, humor, and compassion.

As a practicing psychoanalyst and psychiatrist I was very impressed with the scientific quality of the book, but having shared the book with several members of my family, I can attest that the the non-professional reader will find the book equally compelling.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Gartner's Hypomanic Patient, May 1, 2005

By	Psychodoc "Jim" (Annapolis, MD) - See all my reviews

I am a former patient of Dr. Gartner and a mentalhealth professional as well. In reading his book and then reading some of the reviews( especially the NY Times interview) I began to wonder if we were all reading the same book. I found the book to be entetaining, funny and astoundly accurate. I have treated many patients who are exactly as John describes in his book. I my self have or have had most of the characteristics described in "the Hypomanic Edge". When I spoke with Dr. Gartner last week he asked me what I thought, I told him you "got it right!". I have long held the view that most of the written material in field is just recycled trivia, completely useless. This book is ground breaking and we need more of John Gartner and less of Dr. Phil and his ilk who write books that are more Jacquline Susan and about as usefull as the novel "Love Story".
Psychodoc