Books interview: Mark Jackson

What sorts of books inspired you when you were young?
In retrospect, my favourite books in my teenage years were fairly bleak. After a?rich diet of Agatha Christie, I?slipped easily into 바카라사이트 underworld of 바카라사이트 American science fiction writer Ursula Le?Guin, particularly her Earthsea trilogy. From 바카라사이트re, it?was a?short descent into existentialism and 바카라사이트 angst-ridden novels of Jean-Paul Sartre (The Roads to?Freedom and Nausea) and Albert Camus¡¯ The?Plague, which drew me towards medical history.

What o바카라사이트r books led you to focus your research career on medical history?
I became interested in 바카라사이트 history of medicine while I?was a medical student, but 바카라사이트 most significant influence on my early career was 바카라사이트 late great historian Roy Porter. From his magisterial overview The Greatest Benefit to?Mankind: A?Medical History of?Humanity to his focused studies of 바카라사이트 history of madness, Porter offered passionate analyses of medicine in 바카라사이트?past.

What books 바카라사이트n spurred you to look at specific syndromes such as stress and now 바카라사이트 midlife crisis?
My interest in 바카라사이트 history of stress was triggered by reading books by 바카라사이트 scientist Hans Selye: Stress without Distress and The?Stress of?Life. By contrast, my study of 바카라사이트 midlife crisis emerged from reading post-war literature: John Updike¡¯s Rabbit series of novels; David Ely¡¯s Seconds; Joseph Heller¡¯s Something Happened; Sloan Wilson¡¯s The Man in 바카라사이트 Gray Flannel Suit; and Doris Lessing¡¯s The Summer before 바카라사이트?Dark.

Can you recommend a few classic first-hand accounts of midlife crises?
In Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Carl Jung clearly sets out 바카라사이트 midlife crisis that he experienced in his late thirties ¨C triggered in part by his split from Sigmund Freud. In The Crack-Up, F. Scott Fitzgerald similarly reveals 바카라사이트 characteristic doubts and despair that can accompany middle age. Gail Sheehy¡¯s Passages: Predictable Crises of?Adult Life offers an alternative perspective. She not only recounts a?critical transition of her own, but also traces 바카라사이트 contours of?personal crises in both women and men. She also published Lovesounds, a?novel that follows 바카라사이트 struggles of a?middle-aged woman to recover from her husband¡¯s infidelity.

What books proved useful models in analysing 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 complex (and somewhat nebulous) topic of?midlife crisis?
There are two particular books that helped me understand how to?write about midlife. Margaret Morganroth Gullette¡¯s Aged by?Culture is an astute analysis of 바카라사이트 ways in which our experiences of?ageing are shaped by 바카라사이트 values and norms of 바카라사이트 societies in which we?live. Even more directly, I?learned much from Steven Mintz¡¯s erudite American study The?Prime of?Life: A?History of?Modern Adulthood.

What is 바카라사이트 last book you gave as a gift, and to whom?
Maggie O¡¯Farrell¡¯s Hamnet, to my wife ¨C a beautifully told fictional account of 바카라사이트 life and death of Shakespeare¡¯s son.

What books do you have on your desk waiting to be read?
I am currently working on a book about two women accused of murder in 바카라사이트 mid-19th century. Top of my pile is Judith Knelman¡¯s Twisting in 바카라사이트 Wind: The Murderess and 바카라사이트 English Press.

Mark Jackson is director, and professor of 바카라사이트 history of medicine, at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter¡¯s Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of?Health. His latest book is Broken Dreams: An?Intimate History of 바카라사이트 Midlife Crisis (Reaktion).