CONTENTS

Introduction

Preface to the First Edition

1 ADOLESCENT SUICIDE

I Justin

II The Slot Machine

III Brian

IV Something in the Air

V Dana

VI “Use the Enclosed Order Form to Act Immediately. You Could Save a Life”

VII Beginning to Close the Door

2 HISTORY

I Primitive Roots: The Rock of the Forefathers

II The Classical World: “He Is at Liberty to Die Who Does Not Wish to Live”

III Renaissance and Enlightenment: “It Is His Case, It May Be Thine”

IV Science: Moral Medicine and Vital Statistics

V Faith, Hopelessness, and 5HIAA

3 THE RANGE OF SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR

I Winner and Loser

II Under the Shadow

III The Manner of Dying

IV The Numbers Game

V Backing into the Grave

4 PREVENTION

I Connections

II Suicidology

III Treatment

IV Social Studies

V Life or Liberty

5 THE RIGHT TO DIE

I A Fate Worse Than Death

II “Your Good End in Life Is Our Concern!”

III “The Limits Are Obscure . . . and Every Errour Deadly”

IV A Model Hemlock Couple

6 SURVIVORS

I Merryl and Carl

II The Mark of Cain

III Merryl: The Torture Chamber

IV The O’er-Fraught Heart

V Merryl: The Jigsaw Puzzle

VI A Safe Place

VII Merryl: The Building Blocks

VIII A Place for What We Lose

IX Merryl and Carl

Acknowledgments

Notes

Selected Bibliography

Resources

Index