Mary de Young (sociology, Grand Valley State U.) puts forth an interesting sociological study of the history of mental illness in the US. Utilizing many historical accounts of early psychiatrists, or alienists--as they were once known, and firsthand accounts of various mad personages themselves, the author investigates the meaning of madness, offering understanding as to why and how the meaning changes in different places and times to include or exclude certain illnesses. The text delves into the history of asylums and catalogues many of the attempts of early psychological entrepreneurs to cure various disorders (and then to defend and sell those cures) in the face of a skeptical medical world. As with madness itself, this work may well bring more questions than answers, but nonetheless sheds much light on a subject that has, and will, remain a pertinent issue. The text contains various historical documents, included without changes for historical accuracy, and a bibliography. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)