Divine Madness: Ten Stories of Creative Struggle

By Jeffrey A. Kottler

Book Overview

"Madness can afford the individual certain resources and abilities that are not available to others. The fantasy life, free flight of ideas, distortions of reality, and heightened senses . . . offer a unique perspective on the world." --From the Introduction Why do some extraordinary individuals overcome mental anguish and produce brilliant creative artistry that is often enhanced by their madness? New York Times best-selling author and noted psychologist Jeffrey Kottler explores this fascinating question in Divine Madness . His book is filled with the compelling stories of emotional turmoil that many great artists have undergone as they struggle for success and survival. Jeffrey Kottler writes about the dramatic and tragic lives of cultural icons Sylvia Plath, Judy Garland, Mark Rothko, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Charles Mingus, Vaslav Nijinsky, Marilyn Monroe, Lenny Bruce, and Brian Wilson. In this riveting book, Kottler highlights the personal story of each of these extraordinary individuals and analyzes how they struggled to overcome their emotional hardships. Divine Madness clearly differentiates between those who surrendered to their illness, often taking their own lives, and those who managed to endure and even recover. Kottler details how their profound psychological issues affected their lives and work, their great productivity and success, and how they strove to achieve some kind of personal stability. The fascinating and brilliantly told stories in Divine Madness help us to find meaning in the incredible lives of these artists. They also serve as an inspiration for those who are grappling to rise above their own challenges and limitations and express themselves more productively and creatively.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787981494
• ISBN13: 9780787981495
• Release Date: December 2005
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.2" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Impressed!

I wanted to rate this book very well because I believe it is a book of powerful value! The idea is good, to chronicle 10 separate stories covering a wide spectrum of what each of these people endured. The author does it well and is able to bring a human touch to their lives but also an intimacy of innocence. I learned a lot about these ten people as well as myself while reading. A lot of good and healthy points which are edifying for anyone, especially someone struggling with madness or creativity. This book deserves praise because I never got the impression the author was trying to bully any of his beliefs, or even his points of view. I believe the idea is an honest one, expressed tastefully and professionally. There are a lot of critics out there, but we must remember, it is much easier to criticize than it is to create. Jeffrey Kottler has created a good work here, and I hope others can benefit from his style, which is quite creative I might add!

Loved it!

I am a college student in an abnormal psychology class. Divine Madness was for extra credit. I did not want to put the book down, I loved it. The stories are all very intrigueing, and things I never knew about some of the "stars" in the book. I would reccommend it for those that like psychology.