Editorial Review:

The Lobotomist explores one of the darkest chapters of American medicine: the desperate attempt to treat the hundreds of thousands of psychiatric patients in need of help during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Into this crisis stepped Walter Freeman, M.D., who saw a solution in lobotomy, a brain operation intended to reduce the severity of psychotic symptoms. Drawing on Freeman's documents and interviews with Freeman's family, Jack El-Hai takes a penetrating look at the life and work of this complex scientific genius.

The Lobotomist explores one of the darkest chapters of American medicine: the desperate attempt to treat the hundreds of thousands of psychiatric patients in need of help during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Into this crisis stepped Walter Freeman, M.D., who saw a solution in lobotomy, a brain operation intended to reduce the severity of psychotic symptoms. Although many patients did not benefit from the thousands of lobotomies Freeman performed, others believed their lobotomies changed them for the better. Drawing on a rich collection of documents Freeman left behind and interviews with Freeman's family, Jack El-Hai takes a penetrating look into the life of this complex scientific genius and traces the physician's fascinating life and work.

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Thorough and informative -- but take it with a huge grain of salt:

Author Jack El-Hai makes it clear in the prologue that he does not wish to demonize Walter Freeman. That wish is admirable, but the author puts so much effort into humanizing Freeman he glosses over the incalculable suffering he caused.

Where did the lobotomy come from?:

Excellent book. If history is your interest, you will not be able to put the book down. It puts a scary spin on what we allowed to transpire in the name of science when in reality we knew so little about the brain.

Captivating: A Look into Chipping Away at the Mind:

El-hai's The Lobotomist is an engaging read. He brings into light the grim world of psychiatrics and neurosurgery during the twentieth century. A vivid look into the disturbing mind of Walter Freeman, the man on a mission to chip away at insanity through experimental lobotomies. El-hai's book is a definite read for medical school students, as a reminder of what medicine used to mean and as a way to not repeat the mistakes done in the past. The Lobotomist is very well written, and is scary enough to make one... more info

Very interesting but....:

I had never heard of Dr. Freeman before and therefore was very interested in reading about him. However, this book does go on for a while. It tends to be quite repetitive in some places and just when you think you are going to go into another phase of his life, it backtracks. It is taking me a little to get thru it but, it is interesting all the same.

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