Muses, Madmen, and Prophets: Hearing Voices and the Borders of Sanity

An inquiry into hearing voices-one of humanity's most profound phenomena

Auditory hallucination is one of the most awe-inspiring, terrifying, and ill- understood tricks of which the human psyche is capable. In the age of modern medical science, we have relegated this experience to nothing more than a biological glitch. Yet as Daniel B. Smith puts forth in Muses, Madmen, and Prophets, some of the greatest thinkers, leaders, and prophets in history heard, listened to, and had dialogues with voices inside their heads. In a fascinating quest for understanding, Smith examines the history of this powerful phenomenon, and delivers a ringing defense of the validity of unusual human experiences.

Author: Daniel B. Smith
Publisher: Penguin Books
Published: 03/01/2008
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.54lbs
Size: 8.38h x 5.56w x 0.62d
ISBN: 9780143113157

Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 03/30/2008 pg. 28

About the Author
Daniel B. Smith is a New York-based journalist and author. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, Granta, and n+1.