New Schizophrenia/Brain Disease books, published during or after 2003

The following is a list of new books dealing with schizophrenia or other aspects of brain disorders, released within the last two years. The books have not been officially reviewed by site administrators or members; the synopses and reviews included below are excerpts from editorial reviews on amazon.com or the publisher's site. If you or someone you know has read any of these books (or you know of another one that we haven't included), please submit a review to szwebmaster@yahoo.com. It's important to us to include books and resources that patients and families have found helpful. Please also see our full list of recommended books, which have been used and reviewed by patients and their family members.

Introductory Books on Schizophrenia:

Schizophrenia Revealed: From Neurons to Social Interactions by Michael Foster, PhD. Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company; New Ed edition (May 15, 2003). ISBN: 0393704181

Review (Excerpt from Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, March 2003)

Known for his work on the importance of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, Dr Green is a leader in his field. His contribution to this discipline is recognized in North America and in Europe. What is unusual is to find such a researcher and clinician able to explain schizophrenia in simple, accessible terms for all readers-a quality that also relieves the specialists in this field from boredom in reading. Dr Green tries to provide the general public with the information essential to understanding this disease.

Overall, this book is a delight. It returns the focus to the families, the patients, and the professionals who have been interested in this disease for years.
-- Emmanuel Stip, MD

Schizophrenia (Diseases and People) by Jane E. Phillips, David P. Ketelsen. Publisher: Enslow Publishers; (January 1, 2003).
ISBN: 0766018962

Description (excerpted from Enslow Publishers - website):

In this new addition to the Diseases and People series, authors Jane Phillips and David Ketelsen trace the history of schizophrenia from the ancient terms and diagnoses to the disorder we recognize today. In simple, clear language, they discuss current research trends and the treatment options that are available today. Attention to controversial issues, such as social stigma and medicating schizophrenia, sheds light on this often misunderstood disorder that affects approximately 1 percent of the population.

Day-to-day Coping for Patients and their Families:

Understanding Paranoia : A Guide for Professionals, Families, and Sufferers by Martin Kantor. Publisher: Praeger Publishers; (June 30, 2004) . ISBN: 0275981525

Review (excerpt from Amazon.com):

Dr. Kantor vividly takes us inside the minds of people who are paranoid - experiencing delusions of persecution, from thinking others are "out to get" them to falsely believing they have physical illness. Kantor also explains to us other facets of the Paranoid Personality, including suspiciousness, hypersensitivity, extreme vigilance, simmering anger and a tendency to blame others for and absolve oneself of almost everything. How does such paranoia affect each of our lives? Whether you are a paranoiac wanting to recover from the emotional disorder, or a person looking for the best way to deal with a paranoid husband, wife, friend, boss or acquaintance, this book offers understanding and guidance.

Schizophrenia: Your Questions Answered by Trevor Turner. Publisher: Churchill Livingstone; (January 1, 2004). ISBN: 0443073473

Review (from Book News, Inc.):

A London psychiatrist concisely answers questions that health professionals and patients have about this still misunderstood mental illness. Dr. Turner includes newer community support approaches, case vignettes, a brief psychiatric rating scale, resources, and a glossary. Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc.

Serious Mental Illness: A Family Affair (Overcoming Common Problems Series) by Gwen Howe. Publisher: Sheldon Press; (June 1, 2003).
ISBN: 0859697525

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

Serious Mental Illness is the term which groups together schizophrenia and manic depression. A great deal of fear surrounds these conditions, so if you or someone close to you is affected, you'll need reliable, sensitive information. This book will help you to understand wht happens, and makes it easier to talk to healthcare professionals. It explores the emotional impact that a breakdown can have on a family. And it also gives valuable pointers on getting the best frm the system, coping in a crisis, legal matters and other practical needs.

Author Gwen Howe is a retired mental health professional and an active member of the National Schizophrenia Fellowship as well as the Depression Alliance's advisory panel.

What Every Patient, Family, Friend, and Caregiver Needs to Know About Psychiatry by Richard W. Roukema. Publisher: American Psychiatric Association; 2nd edition (August 2003). ISBN: 1585621102

Review (excerpted from Book News, Inc):

Writing in a simple, concise style, Roukema (clinical director of mental health services, Ramapo Ridge Psychiatric Hospital) provides detailed information on causes and treatment of adult psychiatric disorders and what family members and caregivers can do to help. For this edition, material has been added on the role of genetics, new diagnostic techniques, and Alzheimer's disease.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Masquerade: Unmasking Dual Diagnosis by Richard A., Md. Morin. Publisher: Arnica Pub.; (February 1, 2004). ISBN: 0972653597

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

Readers will discover from this sensitively written book that symptoms from a psychiatric disorder often mimic or masquerade the exact symptoms of alcohol and drug addiction disorders. When both conditions are properly diagnosed, it allows clinicians to develop comprehensive, simultaneous treatment plans for these patients, which will lead to full and lasting recovery.

…An invaluable and enlightening tool for addictionologists, substance abuse therapists, psychiatrists, mental health specialists, juvenile and adult probation and parole officers, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous sponsors, patients, and family members of dually diagnosed patients.

Schizophrenia and Psychiatric Medications:

Better Than Prozac: Creating the Next Generation of Psychiatric Drugs by Samuel Barondes. Publisher: Oxford University Press; (May 1, 2003). ISBN: 0195151305

Review (excerpts from Columbia College Today, Sept. 2003 issue)

In his just-published book...Barondes shares his firsthand experiences working with patients suffering from mental disorders and with the process of drug development. He also traces the history of psychiatric drugs and explains the role that accidents played in the discovery of their surprising therapeutic properties… By considering the history of psychiatric drugs and their current application, Barondes points out the limitations and negative side effects of today's drugs and shows how new research, especially in the field of genetics, will allow for a new generation of superior drugs. Better Than Prozac accomplishes the tough task of presenting a complex, scientific topic in an easy-to-read book that is as historical in its scope as it is medical.

Psychiatric Medications and our Children: A Parent's Guide by Herbert Wagemaker, Ann Buchholz (Contributor). Publisher: Ponte Vedra Publishing; (December 2003). ISBN: 0965499650

Review (excerpted from amazon.com):

In his new book, Psychiatric Medications and Our Children, A Parent's Guide, Dr. Wagemaker speaks as a clinician, teacher, and researcher, with 35 years of experience in the field. His book goes into neurophysiology, neuropathology, how the brain works, and what goes wrong with it. He also discusses the causes of these illnesses and how they are treated. The book is written in a format that a lay person can understand and relate to.

Treatment, Therapy, and Recovery:

Living Outside Mental Illness: Qualitative Studies of Recovery in Schizophrenia (Qualitative Studies in Psychology Series) by Larry Davidson. Publisher: New York University Press; (August 1, 2003). ISBN: 0814719430

Review (excerpted from Book News, Inc.):

Davidson (psychiatry, Yale University) offers an investigation, based on a phenomenological perspective, of experiences of schizophrenia and recovery as illuminated by first-person narratives. He makes a case for the use of qualitative methods in improving the understanding of reasons for the success or failure of mental health services. The book will be of interest to those in the helping professions as well as people in recovery from mental illness and their families.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

On Our Own, Together: Peer Programs For People With Mental Illness by Sally Clay. Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press; (January 30, 2005). ISBN: 0826514669

Review (excerpted from Vanderbilt University Press):

On Our Own, Together looks in depth at eight successful peer-run programs for adults with serious mental illnesses. The book grew out of a 1998 meeting that led off a nationwide study to assess not only the effectiveness of consumer-operated services programs (COSPs) but also their implications for the future of mental health care in the United States.

The book clusters the COSPs into three key types: drop-in centers, which provide varied services for their members, including meals, housing assistance, and stigma-free environments; educational programs, which train mental health consumers in recovery skills for themselves and for other consumers; and services based on peer support and mentoring.

Family Involvement in Treating Schizophrenia: Models, Essential Skills by James A. Marley. Publisher: Haworth Press; (November 1, 2003). ISBN: 0789012502

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):
(NOTE: Written for clinicians and students, but may provide families of patients with an idea of what therapies are out there and how effective they are).

An essential resource for developing clinical skills and programs designed to increase family involvement in the treatment of schizophrenia. The book is a "hands-on" learning tool to be used as a broad overview of many intervention models and/or for a more focused look at a particular model with details of its use, implementation, and effectiveness. Dr. James A. Marley presents case studies and vignettes of each intervention model in action, highlighting specific techniques and skills. He also examines self-help and family advocacy programs, and addresses professional issues that have a direct impact on the provision of family services.

Cognitive Therapy with Schizophrenic Patients: The Evolution of a New Treatment Approach by Marco C. G., Dr. Merlo, Carlo, Dr. Perris, Hans D., Prof., Bern Brenner, Carlo Perris, H. D. Brenner. Publisher: Hogrefe & Huber Publishing; 1st edition (August 1, 2002).
ISBN: 0889372535

Review (excperted from Book News, Inc.):
(NOTE: appears to be written for clinicians, but might be useful for the lay reader who would like to discuss new treatment options with their doctor/psychiatrist).

Arguing that the improvement of real life situations should increasingly become the focus of psychotherapeutical interventions, this collection of 12 contributions attempts to advise on how to integrate the importance of basic cognitive functions (e.g., memory, executive functions, attention) into therapeutic work. After overviews of the theoretical issues of information processing and information exchange, an integrated treatment model is introduced and described, specific cognitive techniques are presented, and inpatient treatment of first-episode patients is described. Later chapters assess a number of cognitive therapy programs already in use.Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR.

The Experience of Brain Disease (Psychological/Sociological/Cultural viewpoints):

Recovering Sanity : A Compassionate Approach to Understanding and Treating Pyschosis by E PODVOLL. Publisher: Shambhala; (November 11, 2003). ISBN: 1590300009

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

Recovering Sanity is a compassionately written examination of the experience of psychosis and related mental illnesses. By presenting four in-depth profiles of illness and recovery, Dr. Edward Podvoll reveals the brilliance and chaos of the psychotic mind and demonstrates its potential for recovery outside of traditional institutional settings.

Worlds of Psychotic People: Wanderers, Bricoleurs and Strategists (Theory and Practice in Medical Anthropology) by Els Van Dongen. Publisher: Routledge; (May 1, 2004). ISBN: 0415303907

Review (excerpted from amazon.com):

This volume brings a 21st-century voice to the lives of those with serious psychological disorders, focusing on the manner in which psychiatric patients experience their subjective worlds. Based on ethnographic research gathered at the psychiatric hospital of Saint Anthony's in the Netherlands over a period of five years, it seeks to describe from the perspective of the mental patient some of the fears and hopes that mark an individual's encounter with the fixed reality-structures of a clinical mental ward. Balancing empirical detail gleaned from patient interviews and observation with the author's theoretical insights into clinical psychiatric practice, "Worlds of Psychotic People" considers such dilemmas as: how do psychotics struggle to express subjectivity in an atmosphere designed to restrain demonstrative emotion?; how do they maintain personal integrity within a completely ordered regime?; how do the distinctive symptoms displayed by many psychotic and schizophrenic patients - including disordered speech, the experiencing of words as physical sensations, and fear of touch - interact with the demands of standard therapeutic procedure?

Gracefully Insane: Life and Death Inside America's Premier Mental Hospital by Alex Beam. Publisher: PublicAffairs; (January 7, 2003).
ISBN: 1586481614

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam's "Gracefully Insane" is an entertaining and strangely poignant biography of McLean from its founding in 1817 through today. The story of McLean is also the story of the hopes and failures of psychology and psychotherapy; of the evolution of attitudes about mental illness; and of the economic pressures that are making McLean--and other institutions like it--relics of a bygone age.

This is fascinating reading for the many readers interested in either the literature of madness--from The Bell Jar to Girl, Interrupted to A Beautiful Mind--or in the history of its treatment.

Schizophrenia, Culture, and Subjectivity : The Edge of Experience (Cambridge Studies in Medical Anthropology) by Janis Hunter Jenkins (Editor), Robert John Barrett (Editor), Alan Harwood (Editor). Publisher: Cambridge University Press; (November 17, 2003).
ISBN: 0521536413

Book Description (from amazon.com):

Based on international research, this collection incorporates a critical analysis of World Health Organization cross-cultural findings. Contributors share an interest in subjective and interpretive aspects of illness, while maintaining the concept of schizophrenia that addresses its biological aspects. The volume is of interest to scholars in the social and human sciences, and of practical relevance not only to psychiatrists, but all mental health professionals encountering the clinical problems bridging culture and psychosis.

Brain Disorders in Children:

If Your Child Is Bipolar: The Parent-to-Parent Guide To Living With and Loving a Bipolar Child by Cindy Singer and Sheryl Gurrentz. Publisher: Perspective Publishing; (July 1, 2003). ISBN: 1930085060

Review (excerpted from www.bipolarchild.com bookshelf):
(NOTE: Pediatric bipolar disorder and childhood-onset schizophrenia often share the same symptoms and problems - this book could be useful for parenting the schizophrenic child as well).

This book is remarkable in several ways: It offers parents excellent advice with clarity, compassion, and reassurance. The authors use their own experiences and those of many parents to bring all the challenges of raising these special children into high relief, all the while exploring strategies that make life for the children and family less stressful. Highly recommended.

Mending Wounded Minds: Seeking Help for a Mentally Ill Child Child by Beth Henry, Vincent Pastore. Publisher: New Horizon Press Publishers; (February 1, 2004). ISBN: 088282242X

Review (excerpt from Publisher's Weekly):

[Author] Beth Henry follows her harrowing tale with a step-by-step action plan for parents coping with mentally ill children. She writes authoritatively and accessibly, using her experiences to explain the byzantine process of securing help for a mentally ill child. Stressing online research, accessing local resources, intense focus on the child's welfare and determination to advocate for that child (as well as for any nonmentally ill children in the home), Henry illumines an often terribly dark path, which many parents walk alone. She addresses guilt, coping mechanisms and financial concerns with clarity and verve. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Schizophrenia - Cause and Prevention:

What Is Schizophrenia and How Can We Fix It? by Glenn D. Shean. Publisher: University Press of America; (January 1, 2004).
ISBN: 0761826637

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

"What is Schizophrenia and How Can We Fix It?" is an attempt to present a balanced overview of research and theory on the causes and treatment of schizophrenia. This work provides a comprehensive, up-to-date survey of contemporary theory and research on schizophrenia as well as the historical background of this mental illness. It also details the diagnostic issues, epidemiology, neurobiological research and psychopharmacology.

Early Detection and Cognitive Therapy for People at High Risk of Developing Psychosis : A Treatment Approach by Paul French, Anthony Morrison. Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; (April 2, 2004). ISBN: 0470863153

Review (excerpted from amazon.com)

Can schizophrenia be prevented? French and Morrison, major investigators in the landmark study demonstrating that schizophrenia can be prevented, provide specific details about the adaptation of standard cognitive therapy to the treatment of individuals at high risk of developing this disorder. In a clear readable style, they guide the reader through the identification of high-risk individuals, crucial cognitive behavioral strategies and, above all, relapse prevention. This book is a must for clinicians dealing with high-risk adolescents and young adults.' (Note: will also be of interest to the lecturer, researcher, and student).
--Aaron T. Beck, M.D., University Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania

Risk and Protective Factors in Schizophrenia: Towards a Conceptual Model of the Disease Process by Heinz Hfner, F. Resch, J. Schroder, Heinz Hafner, W. Der Heiden. Publisher: Steinkopff; (June 1, 2003). ISBN: 3798513651

Book Description (from amazon.com):

The present volume contains the lectures of the symposium on "Risk and Protective Factors in Schizophrenia - towards a conceptual Model of the Disease Process", which was held at the International Science Forum of the University of Heidelberg on October, 2001. The topics of the program were "Genetic risk factors and gene environment interaction", "Psychotic and negative symptoms in the general population as risk-factors", "Etiological risk factors in embryonal life, childhood and adolescence", "Prepsychotic prodromi and stage models of the development of psychosis", Brain development, structural and functional morphology of the early course", "Urban versus rural life, migration and social chains as causal risk factors?", "Psychological and neurobiological (estrogen, erythropoietine) protective factors" The book covers a wide scope of recent research and knowledge about schizophrenia.

Why Does Schizophrenia Develop at Late Adolescence? : A Cognitive-Developmental Approach to Psychosis by Chris Harrop, Peter Trower. Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; (October 3, 2003). ISBN: 0470848782

Review (excerpted from amazon.com):

In this groundbreaking and innovative book, Chris Harrop and Peter Trower outline a whole new way of understanding schizophrenia. Controversially, they argue that symptoms seen as psychosis can be linked to the typical psychological development of adolescence and, in particular, to problems constructing an independent, adult self.

This unique psychological account of schizophrenia, written in accessible language, offers insights and practical therapeutic techniques that will be of value to young people with this problem, their families and anyone working with adolescents.

Personal Stories on Schizophrenia

My Punished Mind: A Memoir of Psychosis by David C. Boyles. Publisher: iUniverse; (February 1, 2004). ISBN: 059530494X

Description (by the author - excerpted from amazon.com):

I am a mental health consumer. This is my memoir about my (past) experiences of being psychotic; having been diagnosed Schizo-affective, in April of 2001.

It is a very vivid description of what I went through for several weeks being psychotic, before I was finally hospitalized. I struggled with a relapse, but I was stabilized and eventually got my life back together.

I Think I Scared Her: Growing Up With Psychosis by Brooke Katz (schizophrenia.com member!). Publisher: Xlibris Corporation; (April 2, 2004). ISBN: 1413445683

Author's description (excerpted from amazon.com):

I hope this book will help some families that are dealing with mental illness. It shows that kids can make it through psychosis. It also helps families understand what psychosis is really like.

Housing and Accommodation for the Mentally Ill

On Transition from Group Care: Homeward Bound by Richard A. Epstein, D. Patrick Zimmerman. Publisher: Haworth Pr Inc; (May 1, 2003). ISBN: 0789020556

Review (excerpted from Book News, Inc.):

In introducing five papers on post-residential services for disturbed children and adolescents, Epstein (Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, U. of Chicago), addresses the difficulties of transition planning for limited community options. Zimmerman, the school's director, discusses social- and life-skills training. Other contributors describe specific programs. Co-published as Residential treatment for children and youth, v.20, no.2, 2002. Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Late-onset Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia into Later Life: Treatment, Research, and Policy by Carl I. Cohen. Publisher: American Psychiatric Association; 1st edition (March 1, 2003). ISBN: 1585620378

Review (excerpted from the New England Journal of Medicine, December 11, 2003):

In "Schizophrenia into Later Life", Carl I. Cohen has put together a succinct overview of current knowledge on treatment, research, and policy with regard to older persons who have schizophrenia… The book is an easy read and free of jargon, and it will prove informative to mental health administrators, citizen advocates for the mentally ill, and mental health clinicians. In a book this broad, integration across topics is difficult, but in the final chapter Cohen draws from the field of gerontology to provide an integrative model that may be used to guide future research.
--William T. Carpenter, M.D.

Schizophrenia In Late Life: Aging Effects On Symptoms And Source Of Illness by Philip D. Harvey, Ph.D. Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA); (October 30, 2004). ISBN: 1591471621

Review (excerpted from American Psychological Association - Publisher):

This volume presents a uniquely comprehensive picture of the current research about this population. With normal aging used as the point of comparison, Harvey explores several issues in the domain of schizophrenia and aging. The central issue is that of age-related changes in the clinical features of schizophrenia, which include delusions, hallucinations, emotional changes, cognitive impairments, and adaptive life skills.

Harvey evaluates whether specific interventions hold the same promise for older patients that they do for younger patients and examines why some of these interventions have not been used. The book concludes with health policy recommendations and a call for treatment guidelines specifically targeted to older adults.

More Advanced Books for Professionals, Researchers, and Students:

Brain Imaging in Schizophrenia: Insights and Applications by Tonmoy Sharma. Publisher: Remedica Publishing; (February 1, 2003).
ISBN: 1901346080

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

Outline: The application of brain imaging to the study of psychiatric disorders has revolutionized research into the biological basis of schizophrenia. Brain Imaging in Schizophrenia provides an overview of the major techniques used in psychiatric neuroimaging, together with a summary of findings from their applications to schizophrenia research. It introduces the major structural and functional imaging modalities used in psychiatry, how these techniques are being used to study schizophrenia, and the impact of neuroimaging on clinical practice.

Schizophrenia: Challenging the Orthodox by Colm McDonald (Editor). Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group; (July 7, 2004).
ISBN: 1841843776

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

This book focuses on major current issues in the aetiology, pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia, and critically analyses the evidence supporting many of the conventional opinions about the disease. Chapters by leading basic science and clinical researchers address some of the more controversial issues in schizophrenia research, including the usefulness of early intervention in psychosis, the role of social environment in the disease, and the future of genetic research. Based on lectures presented as part of the first European Foundation for Psychiatry at the Maudsley (EFPM) meeting.

Understanding and Treating Schizophrenia: Contemporary Research, Theory, and Practice (Haworth Marriage and the Family) by Glenn Shean. Publisher: Haworth Press; (January 1, 2004). ISBN: 0789018888

Book Description (excerpted from Haworth Publisher website):

"Understanding and Treating Schizophrenia: Contemporary Research, Theory, and Practice" is a comprehensive overview of schizophrenia and its treatment from a variety of approaches. The book presents a balanced look at the most influential theoretical perspectives based on empirical research, clinical descriptions, and narrative histories. Dr. Glenn Shean, author of Schizophrenia: An Introduction to Research and Theory, examines neurocognitive and neurodevelopmental models of brain dysfunction, psychodynamic and family factors, up-to-date pharmacological advances, and successful community programs for discharged patients suffering from this debilitating disorder.

Medical Illness and Schizophrenia (62106) by Jonathan M. Meyer, Henry A. Nasrallah. Publisher: American Psychiatric Association; 1st edition (May 1, 2003). ISBN: 1585621064

Book Description (excerpted from amazon.com):

Univ. of California, San Diego. Text illustrates a growing awareness of the importance of providing better medical assessment and treatment to improve mortality in those with severe mental illness. Presents research and practical recommendations on medical issues related to schizophrenia and antipsychotic medications.

Juvenile-onset Schizophrenia: Assessment, Neurobiology, And Treatment by Robert L. Findling, S. Charles Schulz, Robert L., M.D. Findling, S. Charles, MD. Schulz. Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press; (January 30, 2005). ISBN: 0801880181

Review (excerpted from Johns Hopkins University Press):

Reflecting the substantial advances of the past decade, Juvenile-Onset Schizophrenia brings together leading experts to review state-of-the-art clinical practices and the latest scientific knowledge regarding adolescent schizophrenia. Contributors assess the developmental hypothesis of the disease, examine the relationship between its onset of and neurobiological changes during adolescence, and take into account genetic and other risk factors. Also addressed are comparisons between neurophysiology and structural neuroimaging in adults and juveniles, psychological development during adolescence, early symptoms of the disease, related psychotic disorders, the responses of adolescents to antipsychotic medications, and the role of psychotherapy and families in treating schizophrenia...This comprehensive overview of the phenomenology, epidemiology, pathology, and treatment of juvenile-onset schizophrenia will be useful to clinicians, researchers, and students.