Book Review: The Madness Pill by Justin Garson

“A rollicking history of the life and work of an unheralded genius: Dr. Solomon Snyder, whose experiments with mind-altering drugs helped change the way we think about the causes and treatments of schizophrenia…”

Goodreads blurb for The Madness Pill

Review:

Growing up with a mother who works in the field of psychology, I inherited her interest in the subject. This title instantly caught my attention. I’ve never read deeply into the medical side of things, so I was excited to branch out. 

This book is mainly a biography of Dr. Solomon Snyder and his studies to find a pill that not only helps schizophrenic patients, but one replicates the experience of a psychotic episode. It’s also a general history of the pharmaceutical approaches to various mental illnesses. At the beginning and the end, the author inserts his personal experiences with schizophrenia through his father, adding a personal touch. 

I found the book interesting, but by the end, I wasn’t entirely sure if the author was for or against Dr. Snyder’s research. I suppose it can be thought of as presenting the pros and cons, but I would have liked that to be clearer. I liked that there was discussion beyond schizophrenia included as well, so much connecting when you see it written down, and the research felt solid. 

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Explains how and why different drugs work.
• Felt well-researched.

What I didn’t like:

• Confusing narrative.
• While it was important to have the information, I wish the details of some of the experimentation had been spared.

Afterthoughts:

Extra content warning: There are graphic depictions of animal experimentation.

Where to buy the book: