The Spiritual Gift of Madness: The Failure of Psychiatry and the Rise of the Mad Pride Movement
“This book rightly points out the need to reevaluate our classifications of madness and open the door to the sometimes visionary rantings of our fellow citizens.” (Lotus Guide, July 2012)“A fine pick for any mental health collection seeking different perspectives on the idea of insanity and its treatment.” (Midwest Book Review, July 2012)“Seth Farber is one of the most provocative and original thinkers in America. He brings us to the threshold of the only questions that really matter: the demarcation lines between imagination and objective reality and between ‘madness’ and ‘sanity’. The Spiritual Gift of Madness is an important book that could revolutionize the way progressive religious people regard what is called mental health. ” (Frank Schaeffer, author of Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religi)“Farber critically considers the role of madness in culture and sees it as a positive force for change rather than a disease needing treatment. At the same time he does not play down the difficulties encountered by those experiencing such ‘initiations,’ but believes we need to cherish them and appreciate their visionary role in a world gone insane.” (Robert Black, New Dawn, January 2013)“By reclaiming their rightful role as prophets of spiritual and cultural revitalization, the mad--by seeding new visions for our future--can help humanity overcome the spiritual crisis that endangers our survival and lead us to a higher and long-awaited stage of spiritual development.” (Earth Star Magazine, June 2012)“The book will appeal to devotees of spirituality and/or metaphysics.” (Linda F. Petty, Library Journal, July 2012)