In a mesmerizing journey into mental illness, the author of Intoxication and Fire in the Brain captures the suspicion, terror, and rage that possess the minds of paranoids. "Horrifying and utterly fascinating . . . a hard book to put down."--Bettyann Kline, Los Angeles Times.
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Pharmacologist Siegel brilliantly explores the mind of the paranoid in this chilling, wholly engrossing report. His 12 case studies include a cocaine-addicted ballet dancer who murders a coke dealer after developing an erotic fixation on him, an aerospace inventor who believes his enemies have launched a satellite to transmit messages into his brain, a laid-off insurance salesman-turned-God's-prophet, and a frail octogenarian convinced that her dentist has implanted a spying device in her "whispering" teeth. Siegel ( Intoxication ), a UCLA research professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, begins by analyzing Hitler's paranoid hatred of Jews, made more virulent, the author believes, by amphetamine addiction. Next we meet a paranoid neo-Nazi graduate student at UCLA, who created a crude computer program to simulate Hitler's mind. Siegel closes with a look at Ernest Hemingway's paranoid final year, which culminated with his suicide. This startling survey suggests there is a continuum of paranoia and that paranoid episodes can be triggered by drugs, thyroid disorders, pernicious anemia or psychological traumas such as false arrest, social isolation or an intensely humiliating episode.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
This book offers a compelling series of vignettes depicting experiences of paranoia. By providing an explanatory connection between his subjects' past histories, personalities, and present experiences, Siegel creates a believable setting for the dramatic events, thoughts of persecution, and feelings of panic or terror that play out in the lives of the paranoid. Many of the cases reveal drug abuse or drug intoxication at their centers. Nevertheless, each has its own merits. The author's investigation of the facts and his vivid descriptions are skillfully recorded, as is his narration of his own paranoid experience. For most general collections.
Bonnie Hoffman, Stony Brook, N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Bonnie Hoffman, Stony Brook, N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I found this book sad, illuminating and fascinating. The author takes you on a journey through several different delusions and gives very good background information and, at times, links this background to the present. It is a good opportunity to more fully understand the psychotic process and delusional system that tortures many mentally ill persons. As a psychiatric nurse, it gave me a deeper understanding as to what my patients are going through.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Whispers: The Voices of Paranoia" is hands-down one of the best books that I have ever read. Dr. Ronald Siegel, Ph.D., a forensic psychopharmacologist, is an incredible writer and an even better story-teller. His journey into the paranoid mind is enlightening, vivid, and dangerous. As Dr. Siegel unfolds each case study, the reader is thrown into the suspense, analyzing and foreshadowing the devious behavioral manifestations of the paranoid mind. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in psychiatry, clinical neuropsychology, forensic psychology, or simply a good, non-fiction suspense trip.
You will finish this book in less than a week. I simply could not put it down and have since gone on to order all of Dr. Siegel's books.
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I bought the book whispers while casually shopping in a local bookstore earlier this year. I was at that time, in a class taught by a recent graduate in psychiatry. She made the concepts of basic human behavior interesting and challenging. As most would suspect, the mental state and motivation of people is important in law. Dr. Siegel, in his analysis of criminally insane patients, is fascinating reading for anyone. His status as a resreach scientist allowed him to closely examine patients with mental abnormalities. I could not put the book down until it was completely finished. Dr. siegel presents his cases in terms that laymen can understand. The book is concise, contains some adventure, and is somewhat humorous at times. I will read it again undoubtedly. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has a friend or relative suffering from mental disorders or substance abuse issues. I would also reccomend law enforcement officers to read the book in order to understand the condition of mentally ill people they often encounter in their daily work. I am looking for Dr. Siegel's other books. whispers was a true delight.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Dr. Siegel- you are wrong
Freedom of Information documents have shown that Ernest Hemingway WAS being stalked and harassed by the FBI. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Truthfinder
5.0 out of 5 stars
Could not put the book down!
Truth be told, I was actually several minutes late for work this week because I could not put the book down. Read more
Published 21 months ago by D Provencher
3.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely Weird - Off the Wall And Not What You'd Expect From a UCLA...
The basis of a good researcher is neutrality and reserve, keeping a distance between themselves and the subjects whose lives they are studying. Read more
Published on September 8, 2008 by Sam I Am
2.0 out of 5 stars
Yeah, right *rolls eyes*
12 case studies, into 12 paranoid people. However, it doesn't take the most critical of thinkers to realize that Siegel may be embellishing the facts a little. Read more
Published on March 9, 2006 by J. Gunderson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A real page-turner. Not boring at all...
This book is so exciting that it is hard to believe it is non-fiction at times. The author covers many different cases with literary mastery usually reserved for fiction writers. Read more
Published on June 25, 2005 by LiquidDre
3.0 out of 5 stars
Notes From The Underground
Paranoia starts with a whisper on the other side of the door. You stop and you hear movement and whispers on the other side of the door. Your hair stands on end. Read more
Published on September 30, 2002 by Jimmy E Ayala
5.0 out of 5 stars
15year old's perspective
I just had to throw in my two cents about how much I enjoyed this book. We had to get a book to read for English class. Read more
Published on September 19, 2000 by Brie
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