A Mind Apart —— Poems of Melancholy, Madness, and Addiction

Excellent selections of poetry by a wide range of poets through many eras. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the subject. Also includes a thorough introduction explaining the spectrum of mental disorders.

An invaluable collection of poetry about, but more importantly, by poets experiencing various manifestations of madness through the centuries. Excellent introduction by Dr. Bauer. Only question is, how is it that this book wasn't written decades ago? Of course, had it been, a newer edition would have been necessary for the more recent writers.

Great book, exactly as they said. Perfect wrapping. Love it! Thank you!

Was in perfect condition. There were no problems with it what so ever. Met my expectations in every way possible.

I have long been a fan of poems dealing with melancholy, madness, and generally brooding subject matter, as well as how depression, mania, and psychosis affects the creativity of poets. In his introduction to this anthology, Mark Bauer does an admirable job of suggesting paths of reading to help readers answer these questions for themselves regarding individual poets. As both a psychiatrist and a poet, he is able to provide an informed psychiatric point of view that is yet not reductively clinical. What I most enjoy about the anthology is that, while Bauer frequently employs the best known poets of melancholy, such as Thomas Hardy and Sylvia Plath, he frequently picks selections from them that are not the most obvious. For example, while he could easily have chosen "Hap" or "Neutral Tones" for Thomas Hardy, he instead chooses "Just the Same," "The Wound" and two other poems that, while not necessarily obscure, are not the most instantly recognizable of the author's works. Similarly, with Sylvia Plath, rather than resurrecting "Lady Lazarus" yet again, Bauer chooses "Elm" and "Street Song," focusing careful attention on "Street Song" in his introduction. The one thing that I think could significantly improve this anthology is the inclusion of two other "minor" 19th century poets who are masters of melancholy and madness, Thomas Lovell Beddoes and James Thomson, as well as selections from the "major" poets Robert Browning--particularly "Childe Rolande to the Dark Tower Came"--and any of numerous selections by T. S. Eliot. Other readers, I'm sure, will find their own omissions. But every anthologist has to make difficult choices, and sometimes finds that they are not in his control. Overall, cheers for this anthology--may it be the first of many on this worthy topic!

Dr. Bauer's impressive collection of poetry dealing with people suffering the most intense, devastating emotions is not a book to be read straight through unless the reader possesses an unusually stable, placid temperament. The poems, ranging from famous pieces by Shakespeare and Milton to works by poets just beginning to achieve public notice, are among the most disturbing in the English language, and even a little empathy with the feelings displayed here can loosen a reader's grip on sanity enough to cause cold sweats and sleeplessness. Two small excerpts should suffice to illustrate the power of this collection. This from George Herbert (1593-1633): My thoughts are all a case of knives, Wounding my heart With scatter'd smart As wat'ring pots give flowers their lives. Nothing their fury can control, while they do wound and prick my soul. And this from Jeff Holt (1971-): My thoughts are flopping fishes, cold, not sure That water will return. I barely see Past trembling fingers I still recognize By bitten nails, that scab. Wait. Did I speak? My limbs are clown balloons. I need to rise, Smile as I leave. Today I will not break. In every age, poets have bared troubled hearts to the world, and the world has occasionally taken notice. Dr. Bauer's fine anthology will help assure that these anguished voices will continue to be heard.

An invaluable collection of poetry about, but more importantly, by poets experiencing various manifestations of madness through the centuries. Excellent introduction by Dr. Bauer. Only question is, how is it that this book wasn't written decades ago? Of course, had it been, a newer edition would have been necessary for the more recent writers.

Was in perfect condition. There were no problems with it what so ever. Met my expectations in every way possible.

I have long been a fan of poems dealing with melancholy, madness, and generally brooding subject matter, as well as how depression, mania, and psychosis affects the creativity of poets.In his introduction to this anthology, Mark Bauer does an admirable job of suggesting paths of reading to help readers answer these questions for themselves regarding individual poets. As both a psychiatrist and a poet, he is able to provide an informed psychiatric point of view that is yet not reductively clinical.What I most enjoy about the anthology is that, while Bauer frequently employs the best known poets of melancholy, such as Thomas Hardy and Sylvia Plath, he frequently picks selections from them that are not the most obvious. For example, while he could easily have chosen "Hap" or "Neutral Tones" for Thomas Hardy, he instead chooses "Just the Same," "The Wound" and two other poems that, while not necessarily obscure, are not the most instantly recognizable of the author's works. Similarly, with Sylvia Plath, rather than resurrecting "Lady Lazarus" yet again, Bauer chooses "Elm" and "Street Song," focusing careful attention on "Street Song" in his introduction.The one thing that I think could significantly improve this anthology is the inclusion of two other "minor" 19th century poets who are masters of melancholy and madness, Thomas Lovell Beddoes and James Thomson, as well as selections from the "major" poets Robert Browning--particularly "Childe Rolande to the Dark Tower Came"--and any of numerous selections by T. S. Eliot. Other readers, I'm sure, will find their own omissions. But every anthologist has to make difficult choices, and sometimes finds that they are not in his control.Overall, cheers for this anthology--may it be the first of many on this worthy topic!

Dr. Bauer's impressive collection of poetry dealing with people suffering the most intense, devastating emotions is not a book to be read straight through unless the reader possesses an unusually stable, placid temperament. The poems, ranging from famous pieces by Shakespeare and Milton to works by poets just beginning to achieve public notice, are among the most disturbing in the English language, and even a little empathy with the feelings displayed here can loosen a reader's grip on sanity enough to cause cold sweats and sleeplessness.Two small excerpts should suffice to illustrate the power of this collection. This from George Herbert (1593-1633):My thoughts are all a case of knives,Wounding my heartWith scatter'd smartAs wat'ring pots give flowers their lives.Nothing their fury can control,while they do wound and prick my soul.And this from Jeff Holt (1971-):My thoughts are flopping fishes, cold, not sureThat water will return. I barely seePast trembling fingers I still recognizeBy bitten nails, that scab. Wait. Did I speak?My limbs are clown balloons. I need to rise,Smile as I leave. Today I will not break.In every age, poets have bared troubled hearts to the world, and the world has occasionally taken notice. Dr. Bauer's fine anthology will help assure that these anguished voices will continue to be heard.