From strenuous opposition to physician-assisted suicide to a conviction
that sex-correction surgery for newborns is cruel and misguided, Dr.
Paul R. McHugh's opinions are strong and often controversial. In this
collection of essays, McHugh demonstrates why he is one of the most
thought-provoking figures in the academic world.
These pieces argue for a realistic appraisal of just what psychiatrists
know and how they know it, with the aim of indicating how such knowledge
can best be used not only for better patient care but also to reflect on
and influence public issues and social movements. His essays will
stimulate professional and popular discussion about the goals and
effectiveness of current psychiatric practice.
McHugh sorts through the layers of what he terms the culturally driven
misdirection of psychiatry and psychotherapy to explain concepts often
misunderstood by nonscholars and the intellectual community alike.
America's leading psychiatrist may inspire you or offend you, but he
will certainly make you think.