A Mood Apart : A Thinker's Guide to Emotion and Its Disorder

Published by Pan Macmillan, 1999, hardcover, index, 363 pages, condition, new.

"A compassionate exploration of depression and manic-depression."-- Forecast "The most thorough and wide-ranging discussion for lay readers about the interplay of the physical and emotional elements of depression and manic-depression... His presentation is illuminating, and the case histories demonstrate his sensitivity and skill as a clinician.... Whybrow's presentation offers a deeper understanding of, along with a humane and wise approach to these very troubling illnesses."-

I've been reading this book on and off for a long, long time, the subject requiring a very specific state of mind and often hitting rather close to home (not so much the parts about mania, but the descriptions of depression definitely felt familiar). It feels somewhat dated, but I actually found it interesting to learn about the earlier days of modern psychiatry (i.e. since the 70s) and the book covers a wide range of topics around mood disorders. The author has been working the field for decades, and what made this book especially appealing was the genuine liking and respect for the people whose stories are told.