Gracefully Insane

So despite not finishing most of my goals for last week I was able to finish one of the books on the pile: Gracefully Insane: Life and Death Inside America's Premier Mental Hospital by Alex Beam.

The book focuses on McLean Hospital a mental institution in Belmont, MA. The hospital is well known for its history of psychiatric care as well as its list of rather famous patients. Beam takes a look at McLean's history - from its first conception to the lavish lifestyle that the hospital afforded its patients during their stay. At first seen as a rich individuals retreat, the hospital itself went through some radical changes as society and medicine changed. In addition to detailing for the reader how psychiatry and the hospital has changed over the years, Beam also provided some insight into the lives of the patients themselves. Beam - a Boston Globe writer - talked not only about some of the famous patients that earned their McLean "degree," but those whose stories would not have been known save for the few pages in this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this particular book. While at times the book was a bit slow, the overall clip of the book was entertaining. While its a monstrous task to include the entire history of McLean Hospital within one book I feel like Beam did a superb job. The book did not stay on any one particular topic too long - rather it touched upon certain key advancements (either good or bad) that took place during the hospitals history. I particularly enjoyed reading about the hospital when it was first built and was treated rather as a retreat for the rich rather than a psychiatric facility. Those interested in the history of psychology should definitely check this book out.