Five years ago, when I started researching this book, Dr. E. Fuller Torrey wrote me an email after our first meeting: “It is a good project for a layperson because you come to it with a fresh outlook, not contaminated by the revered wisdom of the professionals who may, but often do not, know what they are talking about.” I like the sentiment (the email hangs above my desk)—and though I have come across many professionals who do not know what they’re talking about, I’ve encountered many more who do. This is a list, by no means definitive, of the many generous people who took time out of their busy lives to help me write this book.
First and foremost, a heartfelt thank-you to Florence Keller and LaDoris Cordell, the Wonderful Women of Wilkie Way, who held my hand throughout years of researching and writing, providing support, wisdom, and counsel. You two have brought so much to my life and I’m forever grateful that David brought us all together. I could not have written this book without you.
This was not the book I initially intended to write. While researching it, however, I got to spend time with David Rosenhan’s son, Jack, and his wife, Sheri, two supremely kind and generous people. I am grateful for your time—it is a joy to know you.
I so enjoyed the hours spent with Bill and Maryon Underwood. It was such a blast walking down memory lane. And to Harry Lando—the great footnote—thank you for being so open and honest. I hope I did your experiences justice.
It takes a small army to get what’s on my laptop ready for public consumption. Thank you to agent duo Larry Weissman and Sascha Alper, who helped shepherd this project and find its perfect home. Thank you to the magnificent Millicent Bennett: You are a gift sent from writer heaven, and I cherish the day our paths crossed. Thank you for your tireless support, your brilliant mind, and your steadfast belief in this project. Thank you to Carmel Shaka for keeping us on track during a serious time crunch. Thank you to the dream team at Grand Central Publishing for championing this book, especially Michael Pietsch, Ben Sevier, fellow Hilltopper Brian McLendon, Karen Kosztolnyik, and Beth deGuzman. Thank you also to the powerhouse publicity team led by Matthew Ballast with help from Kamrun Nesa and Jimmy Franco and social media maven Alana Spendley. Thank you to the sales team—Ali Cutrone, Alison Lazarus, Chris Murphy, Karen Torres, Melissa Nicholas, and Rachel Hairston—for their early enthusiasm (even after I babbled at them with twin newborn “mom brain”). Thank you to the supertalented art and production team—Albert Tang, Kristen Lemire, Erin Cain, Carolyn Kurek, Laura Jorstad, and a special shout-out to Tareth Mitch, who, late one Friday, saved the day.
Thank you to my early readers: Dr. Dominic Sisti for his nuanced look at diagnosis and the role of institutions (as well as his support throughout the writing); Dr. Andrew Scull for helping me understand Rosenhan’s place in history and his infectious enthusiasm for the research; Dr. Will Carpenter for his perspective on the biological side of psychiatry; Dr. Len Green for his perspective on the history of psychology and the replication crisis; Dr. Michael Meade for his general wisdom; Dr. Craig Haney for taking time to help me understand the range of horrors happening in jails and prisons. Thank you to Dr. Belinda Lennox, who read an early draft and urged me to be a bit softer on the field; and thank you to the brilliant Maureen Callahan, who pushed me to be a bit harder on it. Ada Calhoun and Karen Abbott, my beloved Sob Sisters, provided support and enthusiasm when I needed it most. Panio Gianopoulos, combination superman and mensch, helped me to control the chaos of the first drafts, and Karen Rinaldi helped me keep my head straight. Thank you to Dr. Niall Boyce for introducing me to the concept of a microhistory and to Allen Goldman for his unerring support and clarity during the book’s final stages. Thank you to Hannah Green for her take on the complexities of the criminal justice system, and to Dr. Heather Croy, whose help with the twins made it possible for me to finish this book. Thanks also to Shannon Long and Emmett Berg for their help with research, and especially to the remarkable Glyn Peterson, who went above and beyond with her eagle-eyed fact-checking.
A special hat tip to Dr. Deborah Levy and Dr. Joseph Coyle for setting me off on this mission—who would have ever guessed that an offhand comment made in a crowded restaurant would consume the next five years of my life? Thank you also to Dr. Lee Ross, who helped stoke an early interest in Rosenhan and his famous study.
Thank you to the staff of Stanford University’s Special Collections and Swarthmore College for letting me camp out and dig into the research. Haverford Hospital’s lead researcher Margaret Schaus supplied me with a treasure trove of primary sources, as did the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Thank you to the Treatment Advocacy Center, especially to E. Fuller Torrey and Maree Webster, who gave me a tour of the Stanley Medical Research Institute’s brain bank. Thank you also to the Center of Inquiry for hosting a strange and fun research trip. Thank you also to Emilie David at Science for her help in tracking down documents, and thank you to DJ Jaffe for taking time out to school me on all the facts.
And to the staff and patients at the following hospitals, thank you for hosting me: McLean Hospital (especially Dr. Bruce Cohen, Dr. Dost Ongur, and Dr. Joseph Stoklosa), Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Zucker Hillside Hospital and the staff of the Early Treatment Program, and University of Pennsylvania’s PEACE program (especially Dr. Irene Hurford).
There are mind-blowing museums across the country devoted to the history of psychiatry, but many are hidden away from the general public. Thank you to social worker and historian Dr. Anthony Ortega for his unforgettable tour of the Patton State Hospital Museum, and to Bethlem Hospital and the Institute of Living for allowing me to visit their collection.
Thank you to Dr. Michael First for being such a good sport; to Dr. Nancy Horn for her passionate perspective; to Dr. Janet Williams for bringing Dr. Robert Spitzer to life; to Mary Bartlett and Claudia Bushee for embracing my intrusive questions about your family. Thank you to Dr. Allen Frances for his perspective on the DSM; to Dr. Gary Greenberg and Dr. Ian Cummins for helping me figure this story out; to Drs. Ken and Mary Gergen for giving me my aha moment; to Dr. Karen Bartholomew for going above and beyond; thank you to Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman for the four-part history lesson; thank you to Dr. Matthew State and Dr. Steven Hyman for making me excited about the future of the field; thank you to Dr. Chris Frith and Dr. Thomas Insel for answering my many stupid questions with such patience. Thank you to IBM’s Watson team (especially to Guillermo Cecchi) for inviting me to your headquarters. I am indebted to Ron Powers for his beautiful No One Cares About Crazy People and the perfectly inscribed copy of Good Night Moon. I’m so grateful to Justen Ahren and the Noepe community for giving me a place in the most beautiful corner of the earth to write.
For their perspectives on Rosenhan, the man, thank you to: Dr. Edith Gelles, Dr. Helena Grzegolowska-Klarkowska, Abbie Kurinsky, Linda Kurtz, Dr. Miv London, Vivian London, Pamela Lord, Harvey Shipley Miller, Dr. Kenneth P. Monteiro, Hank O’Karma, and Dr. Lee Shulman.
For their perspective on David Rosenhan, the psychologist, thank you to: Robert Bartels, Dr. Daryl Bem, Dr. Gordon Bower, Dr. Bruno Breitmeyer, Dr. Allen Calvin, Dr. Gerald Davison, Dr. Thomas Ehrlich, Dr. Phoebe Ellsworth, Drs. Raquel and Ruben Gur, Dr. Eleanor Maccoby, Dr. David Mantell, Bea Patterson, Dr. Henry O. Patterson, Dr. Robert Rosenthal, Dr. Peter Salovey, Dr. Barry Schwartz, Dr. Martin Seligman, Dr. Ervin Staub, and Dr. Philip Zimbardo.
For their perspectives on the study, thank you to: Dr. Matthew Gambino, Dr. Peter Gray, Dr. Benjamin Harris, Dr. Voyce Hendrix, Dr. Marc Kessler, Dr. Alma Menn, Dr. John Monahan, Dr. Gina Perry, and Dr. Christopher Scribner.
For their perspective on psychiatry’s past, present, and future, thank you to: Richard Adams, Dr. Justin Baker, Dr. Gary Belkin, Dr. Richard Bentall, Dr. Carol Bernstein, Claire Bien, Dr. Joel Braslow, Dr. Cheryl Corcoran, Dr. Philip Corlett, Dr. Anthony David, Dr. Lisa Dixon, Mark Gale, Dr. Steven Hatch, Dr. Robert Heinssen, Dr. John Kane, Dr. Ken Kendler, Dr. Richard Lamb, Dr. Robert McCullumsmith, Kerry Morrison, Dr. Souhel Najjar, Dr. Stephen Oxley, Dr. Roger Peele, Dr. Thomas Pollack, Dr. Steven Sharfstein, Dr. Kate Termini, Dr. Jim van Os, Dr. Mark Vonnegut, and Bethany Yeiser.
Thank you most of all to Stephen Grywalski. The past four years were intense—a marriage, a run-in with Marie Laveau, an ileus, a move—you are my tireless advocate and you’ve given me the greatest gift of all: our twins, Genevieve and Samuel. Without you, none of this.