book data
405 ratings, 3.87 average rating, 48 reviews
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published
October 18th 1996
by Free Press
binding
Paperback, 384 pages
isbn
068483183X
(isbn13: 9780684831831)
description
The march of science in explaining human nature continues. In Touched With Fire, Jamison marshals a tremendous amount of evidence for the propo...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 622)
Read in June, 2006
Quick rundown on what I got out of this book...It's a heavy read, so you have to be 100% focused 100% of the time, not something you can lounge around and read lightly - but it is very interesting.
Bipolar disorder, along with various other mental illnesses, has long been perceived as an mysterious yet threatening disease, which manifests in extremes of temperament; - ranging from ecstatic highs, to debilitating lows, often seasonal in nature. The link between the artistic temperament and bip...more
Bipolar disorder, along with various other mental illnesses, has long been perceived as an mysterious yet threatening disease, which manifests in extremes of temperament; - ranging from ecstatic highs, to debilitating lows, often seasonal in nature. The link between the artistic temperament and bip...more
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Read in February, 2004
probably the most widely read of her books, i was disappointed. the thesis is that what we now call bi-polar I actually contributes to the artistic temperment and allows them to create the work that they did.
she looks at the people you would expect: woolf, plath, van gogh, etc.
the thing is, i feel very strongly that you can create beautiful works of art without being mentally ill - or while receiving treatment for your illness - so this book kind of rubbed me the wrong way. yes, i thin...more
she looks at the people you would expect: woolf, plath, van gogh, etc.
the thing is, i feel very strongly that you can create beautiful works of art without being mentally ill - or while receiving treatment for your illness - so this book kind of rubbed me the wrong way. yes, i thin...more
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Read in January, 2008
An illuminating look, in detail, at what we know (or knew, as of 1996) about the connections between manic depression & artistic creativity. My gut reaction was to assume this connection was imaginary, but the science says otherwise. The book's term-paper structure makes for relatively slow, but very interesting, read.
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Read in April, 1997
recommends it for:
crazy artists
Interesting ramble thru the mental wards of art and literature to see the effects of mental illness on a wide variety of artists, painters, poets, writers and other assorted misfits.
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I have often been curious about the saying, 'There is a fine line between genius and madness,' and with that I have continually found myself drawn to the works of writer's poets, artist's, musicians, scientists, philosophers, et all whom are said to have suffered from some sort of mental illness. I have been unconsciously (until recently) been drawn over and over again to this subject, this connection between what this author describes as the 'Artistic Temperament,' and in this case Manic-Depres...more
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Having a chronic or recurring mind-altering condition like manic-depressive illness is bound to influence one's identity, to become part of one's attitudes and ways of thinking. As psychiatrist-patient Jamison writes, "It is, after all, not just an illness, but something that affects every aspect of my life: my moods, my temperament, my work, and my reactions to almost everything that comes my way."
Nor is it just a piece of biological bad luck for which there is nothing to be said...more
Nor is it just a piece of biological bad luck for which there is nothing to be said...more
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Read in November, 2008
Focusing on the relationship between artistic creativity and manic-depressive illness, Touched With Fire is rewarding, interesting and full of information. However, this is a book that requires an effort, expects you to be paying attention fully at all times. This is no quick, relaxing beach read. Jamison brings her scientific and academic background to her subject, which makes for a fascinating but difficult read for anyone lacking her extensive background. Her constant references to...more
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Read in June, 2008
An interesting examination of the historical connection between "high-moodedness" and artistic creativity. Specifically, this book challenges the current "wisdom" on the necessity to treat hypomania that manifests without paranoia, dysphoria, nor psychosis. Hypomania is given a "more pleasant side" and presented as having manifestations in affect, cognition, and behavior that are non-pathological and functional. However, due to the delicacy of the functional stri...more
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Read in August, 2007
It's become something of a game in the popular media to diagnose long-dead artists with various chronic illnesses, in particular neurological and mental disorders such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. In this well-researched book, Jamison takes this beyond idle speculation and, using family histories, evidence from the artists' works (particularly those of poets and writers), and personal papers, compelling argues that manic-depressive (AKA bipolar) disorder has play...more
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Kay Redfield Jamison has written a highly engaging book about BiPolar illness in connection with creativity and artists of all stripes. This book helped me identify my own condition as manic-depressive (as I am an artist as well) eight years before I as actually diagnosed as such by a Cornell trained psychiatrist. In other words, reading this was better than eight years of dealing with mental health professionals. So I highly recommend the book.
However, one think that has increasingly b...more
However, one think that has increasingly b...more
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First, I want to say that this is a thorough and intriguing study of its kind, though it did not appeal to me for the reasons below. This is mainly a compilation of life stories and writings by famous and famously ill artistic people gathered and interpreted by a professor of psychiatry. It makes me want to just go get their writings and have at that, instead of be led to the conclusion that perhaps "curing" mental illness does a disservice to the extraordinary capabilities of the mi...more
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I've barely started it, considering it's depth, but it's based around a discussion of mild to severe manic-depressive illness and it's symbiotic existence with the artistic temperament. Illustrated with examples of authors past and present (mostly past) known and/or suspected as manic-depressive, it is both literary and technical; Dr. Jamison is a professor or psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the author of An Unquiet Mind.
Fr...more
Fr...more
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Read in January, 2007
i was leary about this book at first glance. it was recommended by a trusted recommender. it doesn't necessarily promote the whole artistic temperament ideal (moody, crazy, ill-tempered artist), but it doesn't necessarily negate it either. there were a lot of interesting quotes from artists and writers littered through the text. in fact, most of the text was quotes. there's a whole back section on what artists suffered from what illnesses, which was kind of fascinating. i would only recommend th...more
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Read in September, 2007
I'm a bit disenchanted by this book. I am Bipolar myself, so I know what it's like. The book paints a portrait of Bipolar illness as if it were almost desirable, and credits mental illness for unique artistic (and other) ability. While there are a very few people who have been able to "work" their mental illness to advantage, the overwhelming majority of mentally ill people SUFFER from it, and would rather not be "touched by fire." Personal opinion only.
Read in October, 2007
So far it is really good- none of the trappings of some books on a topic like this. Its not your typical: they might be weird but the good thing is that they can paint! Includes many quotes from famous poets. Talks about the phases of mania and depression as concurrent with the creative process, and also pertaining to the seasons. Refreshing.
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A theory of the connection between mental illness and the artistic temperament. While, I'm sure there is some connection my belief is that it has more to do with a generation that shows the creativite nature of God, and walks in the prophetic giftings of God, struggling with spiritual issues than mental illness alone.
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Read in January, 2003
this is an incredible book. it reads like a veritable who's who of arts and letters. it is really interesting how psychiatric illness seems to often be coupled with creative powers. jamison is brilliant, as always, and her insight, both into the artistic works and the lives of the artists is something to be admired.
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its great and extremely interesting on a learning level about atrtistic people and being crazy. many studys have been done but the only thing on this one is she had to have ben manic when she wrote it cause its long and repetitive , however ud be amazed at how the two coinside.
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Read in January, 2007
I had to give up on this book, which I hate doing. It was just too difficult for me to read and keep my concentration fixed on understanding what I was reading. Each page felt like a marathon...and I feel that is more of a testament against me than it is against the book. Too bad.
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Manic depression really makes for a strange and interesting topic for this book, but Jamison handles it with grace and logic. Check it out if you're interested in the history of bipolar disorders, or creativity and madness...
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