by Charles Mercier (Author), Graeme Newman (Author)

What is madness? How does reason fail? When does unusual behavior become mental illness? And what responsibilities do society, medicine, and the law have toward those whose minds are disordered?

Originally published in the early twentieth century, Charles Mercier's A Textbook of Madness and Other Mental Diseases is one of the most influential and intellectually ambitious works in the history of psychiatry. A pioneering psychiatrist and leading authority on insanity, Mercier sought to do more than describe mental illness—he attempted to explain its nature, causes, classification, and relationship to human conduct.

Rejecting the conventional view that insanity is simply a disorder of thought, Mercier argued that madness is fundamentally a disorder of conduct. Through careful observation and analysis, he developed a comprehensive theory linking desire, will, feeling, thought, and memory to the ways individuals function in society. His groundbreaking hierarchical model of the mind anticipated many modern concerns with judgment, self-control, insight, and behavioral regulation.

This new edition features an extensive introduction by renowned criminologist Graeme R. Newman, placing Mercier's work within the context of modern psychiatry, psychology, criminology, neuroscience, and forensic mental health. Newman explores the enduring relevance of Mercier's ideas and their continuing influence on debates surrounding mental illness, criminal responsibility, social control, and human behavior.

Inside this volume, readers will discover:

• Mercier's pioneering definition of insanity as a disorder of conduct

• A detailed hierarchical theory of mental functioning

• Early classifications of mental illness and their historical development

• Analyses of delusions, hallucinations, dementia, paranoia, mania, and melancholia

• Discussions of crime, punishment, and criminal responsibility

• The legal treatment of insanity in Britain during the early twentieth century

• Insights into the social, biological, and psychological causes of mental disorder

• A scholarly introduction connecting Mercier's theories to contemporary research

Part historical document, part psychiatric treatise, and part philosophical inquiry into the nature of human behavior, A Textbook of Madness and Other Mental Diseases remains an essential work for students and scholars of psychiatry, psychology, criminology, law, sociology, and the history of medicine.

More than a century after its first publication, Mercier's enduring questions continue to resonate: What is sanity? What is madness? And how should society respond when the boundaries between them become uncertain?

An indispensable classic of psychiatric thought, now available in a modern scholarly edition.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2026. 218p.

by Charles Mercier (Author), Graeme Newman (Author)

In 1901, the physician and alienist Charles Mercier set out to do something almost nobody had attempted: build one complete theory of mind that covered sanity and insanity alike, on the theory that you cannot understand madness until you understand the ordinary mind it departs from. The result is this book — four hundred pages of sustained, systematic ambition, mapping sensation, thought, will, memory, pleasure, pain, and the sense of self as a single connected machine, with delusion treated not as a foreign invasion of the mind but as ordinary belief, strained past its working tolerance.

It is a genuinely strange book to read now, and that is exactly why it's worth reading. Mercier's nervous system runs on "motion," flowing through tissue like steam through pipework — a mechanical metaphor pushed further than the science of the day could really support. He proposes scrapping the syllogism in favor of six modes of reasoning entirely his own invention, argued with total seriousness across a hundred pages, and it persuaded almost nobody. His system did not outlast the decade. And yet buried inside the wreckage of that system is a genuinely durable idea: that delusion sits on a continuum with everyday belief, rather than in a category of its own — a claim psychiatry spent most of the twentieth century arguing its way back to.

This new edition presents Mercier's text in full, extensively cleaned of over a century of accumulated OCR and scanning damage, with British-Victorian spelling and phrasing left exactly as written. A new critical introduction by Graeme R. Newman situates the book against its contemporaries — it appeared eleven years after William James's Principles of Psychology and just before Freud reached English readers — and reads it honestly: neither a lost masterpiece nor a curiosity, but a serious system that got some of the biggest questions in psychiatry wrong in interesting ways, and one genuinely important thing right early.

What's inside:

• The complete original text of Mercier's 1901 classic, unabridged

• A new critical introduction assessing Mercier's system against James, Freud, and the psychiatry that followed

• Extensive restoration of scan-damaged passages, with any unrecoverable material left honestly marked rather than guessed at

• Six major sections: Sensation, Thought, Volition, Memory, Pleasure and Pain, and Subject-Consciousness

Companion volume: How to Run a Lunatic Asylum, Mercier's 1894 administrative manual, applies the same systematizing temperament at the scale of the institution rather than the mind.

For readers who enjoy:

• The history of psychiatry and psychology before Freud

• Victorian and Edwardian systems of thought — ambitious, confident, and often wrong in illuminating ways

• Primary sources that reward a critical rather than a reverent reading

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2026. 397p.

Graeme Newman (Editor)), Charles Mercier (Author)

In 1894, Dr. Charles Mercier sat down and wrote the single most thorough, most humorless, and — accidentally — most hilarious operations manual of the Victorian age: a complete instruction guide for running a lunatic asylum.

He was not joking. That's what makes it so funny.

Inside you'll find firm, unblinking rulings on corridor widths, the correct pitch of a drainage floor, how far apart the beds in a dormitory ought to be, the precise duties of a kitchen clerk, how to test food for adulteration, what a chaplain is and is not obliged to do, and the delicate diplomatic art of writing an annual report that satisfies the Commissioners in Lunacy without saying anything interesting at all. It is, in the truest sense, a nineteenth-century employee handbook — written with the complete sincerity of a man debating corridor widths as though they were points of theology.

It is also, in its own quiet way, a genuinely important document of early psychiatric reform: a serious argument, from inside the institution, that "no restriction is justifiable that is not required by the circumstances of the individual case." Mercier was working to drag asylum management out of the era of chains and toward something resembling human dignity — even as he remained, in every visible way, a man entirely of 1894.

This new edition restores Mercier's original text — correcting the date long misattributed as 1918 — resets it for modern readers, and adds a new introduction by Graeme R. Newman situating the book, its author, and its unintentional comedy for the twenty-first century.

What's inside:

• The complete original text of Mercier's 1894 classic, unabridged and unaltered

• A new introduction on Mercier, Victorian asylum reform, and why the book still lands as comedy

• 26 chapters covering housing, food and clothing, occupation and amusement, detention and care, and staff — the entire operational anatomy of a Victorian institution

For readers who enjoy:

• The history of medicine, psychiatry, and institutional reform

• Victorian architecture and design

• Deadpan bureaucratic writing, workplace-manual humor, and primary sources that are funnier than they meant to be.

By Albert Edward Wiggam. Introduction by Colin Heston.

Albert Edward Wiggam’s The Fruit of the Family Tree (1924) occupies a distinctive place in the intellectual landscape of early 20th-century America, where science, social reform, and cultural optimism converged. Wiggam, a prominent science writer and lecturer, sought to popularize the principles of heredity and evolution for a general audience, framing them as tools for personal and societal improvement. His work reflects the era’s fascination with genetics and its implications for human progress—a fascination that often intersected with the controversial discourse of eugenics.

At its core, Wiggam’s book argues that the family is not merely a social institution but a biological continuum, transmitting physical, mental, and moral traits across generations. He contends that understanding these hereditary forces is essential for shaping character, guiding marriage choices, and fostering the “betterment” of humanity. This perspective resonated with contemporary movements advocating scientific approaches to social problems, yet it also raises critical questions about determinism, individual agency, and the ethical boundaries of applying biological principles to human affairs.

Historically, The Fruit of the Family Tree emerged during a period of optimism about science’s capacity to engineer progress. The rediscovery of Mendelian genetics and the rise of evolutionary psychology fueled public interest in heredity, while the eugenics movement—then regarded by many as progressive—sought to apply these insights to improve population quality. Wiggam’s writings, widely read and influential, exemplify this cultural moment: they blend scientific exposition with moral exhortation, urging readers to consider the long-term consequences of their choices for future generations.

Upon its publication, The Fruit of the Family Tree was warmly received by a public eager for accessible scientific knowledge. Wiggam’s engaging style and ability to translate complex biological concepts into practical advice made him a popular figure on the lecture circuit and in print. The book was praised for its clarity and its alignment with contemporary ideals of progress and rational planning. Many readers embraced its message as a guide to responsible parenthood and social improvement.

However, the legacy of Wiggam’s work is more complex. While his writings contributed to the popularization of genetics and the notion of “scientific living,” they also reinforced ideas that later came under ethical scrutiny. His advocacy of selective breeding and emphasis on hereditary “quality” aligned with mainstream eugenics discourse, which would eventually be discredited due to its association with coercive policies and discriminatory practices. Today, scholars view Wiggam’s work as emblematic of a historical moment when optimism about science blurred into prescriptive social engineering.

Despite these controversies, The Fruit of the Family Tree remains significant as a cultural artifact. It illuminates the interplay between science and social ideals in the early 20th century and invites reflection on the enduring tension between biological determinism and human freedom. In revisiting Wiggam’s text, modern readers confront not only the aspirations and anxieties of a bygone era but also the cautionary lessons about the ethical use of scientific knowledge in shaping human destiny

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. p.234.

By Robert C. Olby

From the cover:

"At last, a book about genetics has been written as a science to be reckoned with. Mr. Olby, a librarian of the Cotany School, Ixford, England, has written the whole story with remarkable ease. The text has a clarity which is not found too often in a book of this kind. This is partly because of the excellent notes and bibliography at the end of each chapter. The appendixes give further proof that a book such as this has never been written before-the work cited in each chapter is quoted as originally written by the scientists doing the work in this complicated field." -Library Journal

"Significant contribution to the history of genetics.... After reading this account, one cannot but have greater esteem and appreciation for Mendel as a scientist, a mathematician, a keen observer, and a keeper of careful records. The work and lives of the early hybridists are included in an informing manner with many accounts.... A large appendix includes original findings and writings of the early hybridists. ...Laymen as well as geneticists will appreciate this book." -Choice

Copyright © 1966, 1966 by Robert C. Olby. Schocken. 1967. 209p.

by Rudolf Diesel (Author), Graeme R. Newman (Translator)

When Rudolf Diesel published Solidarismus: Natürliche wirtschaftliche Erlösung des Menschen in 1903, he was already celebrated as the inventor of the internal combustion engine that bore his name. Yet behind the engineer stood a man deeply troubled by the social consequences of industrial capitalism. He had seen firsthand the paradox of modernity: machines producing abundance while workers lived in misery.
By Rudolf Diesel. Translated from the German by Graeme R. Newman (assisted by ChatGTP)

Diesel’s Solidarism was his attempt to resolve this contradiction. It was neither Marxist nor anarchist, nor a conventional liberal reform. Instead, Diesel proposed a peaceful, cooperative, and disciplined movement in which ordinary workers, artisans, and families would pool resources into “People’s Treasuries.” From these would grow “Beehives”—productive cooperatives where every member shared in ownership and security. Over time, he envisioned these federating into a global network that could replace the inequities of capitalism with solidarity, justice, and peace.
The book attracted attention in Europe as an unusual hybrid of social thought, moral appeal, and engineering pragmatism. Diesel stressed repeatedly that he was not a professional economist but an inventor who felt compelled to seek “the natural economic redemption of mankind.” Some reviewers praised his sincerity and practical outlook; others dismissed him as a dreamer outside his field.
Socialists noted that Diesel rejected class struggle, revolution, and expropriation, favoring instead disciplined self-help and gradualism. Conservatives criticized his call for economic transformation beyond private capitalism. For both sides, Diesel seemed too unorthodox to embrace fully, but impossible to ignore. Diesel diagnosed the dangers of unregulated capitalism—inequality, insecurity, global rivalries—that remain urgent today. He envisioned cooperative economics, community-based security, and international solidarity long before these became mainstream topics.
In an era of global climate crisis, technological upheaval, and renewed questions about justice, Diesel’s voice speaks with surprising clarity. He insists that no technical advance has value unless it serves humanity; that no society can survive when millions live in fear and want; and that solidarity, not competition, is the moral law of the future.
Of course, Diesel’s scheme of Treasuries and Beehives reflects its own time, with the language and structures of early-twentieth-century Germany. But behind the particulars lies a timeless conviction: that human beings can organize economic life around justice, security, and brotherhood. His call is not to tear down violently, but to build patiently—penny by penny, act by act, institution by institution—the foundations of a more humane order.
This English edition makes accessible, for the first time in a complete form, Diesel’s forgotten social manifesto. It allows modern readers to see him not only as an inventor of machines, but as a moral thinker wrestling with the human meaning of technology.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. . p.138.

By Mark Rozen Pettinelli

So you can categorize all of the information right. There’s emotion and cognition, studying that is important if you want to be clear and intelligent thinking I think. I mean, i know what the difference be- tween a feeling and a thought is. That’s important to understand be- cause it’s good to have a feeling for that in order to function properly. If you know the difference between feelings and thoughts then you should be able to think clearly right? What else is there to clear thinking and logic? Making logical arguments and using proper reasoning is a part of logic. What else would someone need in order to think logically then?

2025, 31p.

By Mark Rozen Pettinelli

In conclusion of my research, in order to understand what you are feeling, simply try to feel what you can feel. It is simple, I could just try to figure out what I am feeling at the moment. I can try to analyze my feelings using what I learned about feelings. So then what would I use to analyze or understand my feelings then. I know about the mental processes, the main ones are feeling, thought, attention, perception, awareness, language, and memory. So I could say to myself, well now I'm feeling this and that, the feeling feels like this and this or that mental process is being used. If you don't know what the mental processes are you could look them up or just think about how your mind is working and what it could possibly be doing at the moment to produce the feelings your currently experiencing. That is my guide for understanding what you are feeling at any time or the current moment. You could just ask yourself," what mental processes could my mind be using in order to make myself feel this way.

2024, 23p.

By Mark Pettinelli

This paper puts forth the idea that life is divided into three groups, emotion, think- ing, and feeling. These three groups make humans feel in certain ways, thinking, physical stimulus, and emotion all contribute to feeling. But what is the dierence between a thought, an emotion, and a feeling? Is there an overlap between the three? Probably, since any emotion can be broken down into the sensations and real events that caused it, and these events all lead to emotions, feelings and thoughts. So emo- tions, feelings and thoughts all might have the same source, they are just expressed dierently in the mind. Where do your emotions, feelings and thoughts rate on a scale of clarity? Where do they rate on a scale of focus and attention? How does under- standing the psychology of ones emotions, feelings and thoughts lead to a long term increased consciousness?

July 27, 2007, 43p.

By Mary E. Richmond

Mary E. Richmond's "Social Diagnosis," published in 1917, is a seminal work that laid the foundation for the scientific methodology of social casework. Richmond's pioneering approach emphasized the importance of understanding the interaction between individuals and their environments, providing a structured framework for diagnosing and addressing social issues. Despite its groundbreaking contributions, "Social Diagnosis" has faced criticisms over the years. Modern social workers have developed various strategies to address these criticisms, ensuring that the principles of social work continue to evolve and remain relevant.

Richmond's work emerged during a period when social work was transitioning from charitable activities to a more structured profession. Her book provided a scientific basis for social casework, which was essential for the professionalization of social work. Richmond introduced the concept of social diagnosis, involving a detailed analysis of an individual's situation and personality in relation to their social environment. She identified six sources of power available to clients and social workers: within the household, the person of the client, the neighborhood and wider social network, civil agencies, and private and public agencies.

While highly regarded, "Social Diagnosis" has faced several criticisms. Critics argue that Richmond's focus on individual diagnosis and personal responsibility can overshadow broader social and structural factors contributing to social issues. Given the time period in which Richmond wrote, her work has been critiqued for lacking cultural sensitivity and failing to adequately address the diverse cultural backgrounds of clients. Richmond's methodology primarily focuses on casework and individual interventions, which can be limiting as it does not fully address the need for broader community and policy-level interventions. Some aspects of "Social Diagnosis" are considered outdated by contemporary standards, as the field of social work has evolved significantly since Richmond's time. While groundbreaking, some critics have pointed out that Richmond's methods lacked the rigorous empirical validation expected in modern social science research.

Modern Adaptations in Social Work. Modern social workers have developed various strategies. They adopt holistic and ecological approaches, considering the complex interplay between individuals and their environments. This framework recognizes the impact of social, economic, and cultural factors on clients' lives. Social work education and practice now place a strong emphasis on cultural competence. Social workers are trained to understand and respect the diverse cultural backgrounds of their clients, ensuring that interventions are culturally sensitive and appropriate. In addition to individual casework, modern social workers engage in macro-level interventions, including community organizing, policy advocacy, and systemic change efforts aimed at addressing broader social issues and inequalities. To enhance scientific rigor, social workers increasingly rely on evidence-based practice. This approach involves using research and empirical data to inform interventions, ensuring that they are effective and grounded in scientific evidence. Examples of evidence-based practice include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for mental health issues, Motivational Interviewing for substance abuse treatment, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for children and adolescents[1][2][3]. Modern social work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration. Social workers work alongside professionals from other fields, such as healthcare, education, and law, to provide comprehensive support to clients. This collaborative approach helps address the multifaceted nature of social issues. Ongoing professional development is crucial in modern social work. Social workers are encouraged to engage in lifelong learning, staying updated with the latest research, theories, and best practices. This commitment to professional growth helps them address emerging challenges and improve their practice.

Conclusion: Mary E. Richmond's "Social Diagnosis" remains a cornerstone in the field of social work, continuing to influence practice, education, and research. While it has faced criticisms, modern social workers have developed strategies to address these limitations, ensuring that the principles of social work evolve and remain relevant. By incorporating holistic approaches, cultural competence, macro-level interventions, evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continual professional development, social workers build on Richmond's foundational work while adapting to contemporary social challenges.

By Mary E. Richmond

“The Long View” serves both as a historical document and as a critique of the limitations and challenges facing social work in the early 20th century. The title itself suggests her forward-thinking approach, urging practitioners to consider the long-term effects of their interventions rather than focusing solely on immediate relief. In this sense, the book represents a call for a more holistic and preventive approach to social work rather than a reactive or crisis-driven model. A key strength of her work is Richmond’s insistence on the importance of professionalization in social work. She argues for a rigorous, research-informed approach to casework, emphasizing the need for training, standardization, and ethical responsibility. This argument anticipates later debates in the field about the tension between bureaucratic efficiency and personalized, client-centered care. Richmond’s work in this book also highlights her concern with the social and structural determinants of poverty, distinguishing her from social workers who focus primarily on individual moral failings.

Originally published 1930 Russell Sage Fdn. Read-Me.Org Inc. 2025. 411p.

By K. Viswanath, Tiffany E. Taylor, and Holly G. Rhodes, Editors; Committee on Understanding and Addressing Misinformation About Science; Board on Science Education; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Our current information ecosystem makes it easier for misinformation about science to spread and harder for people to figure out what is scientifically accurate. Proactive solutions are needed to address misinformation about science, an issue of public concern given its potential to cause harm at individual, community, and societal levels. Improving access to high-quality scientific information can fill information voids that exist for topics of interest to people, reducing the likelihood of exposure to and uptake of misinformation about science. Misinformation is commonly perceived as a matter of bad actors maliciously misleading the public, but misinformation about science arises both intentionally and inadvertently and from a wide range of sources.

NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS. 2024. 409p.

By EUGENE L. HOROWITZ

● Study Focus: The research investigates the development of attitudes toward African Americans in white children, aiming for objective, verifiable, and significant results.

● Historical Context: The study highlights the historical evolution of attitudes toward African Americans, noting legal and social discrimination dating back to the 17th century.

● Methodology: The research employs three tests involving pictorial materials to measure children's attitudes, focusing on ranking preferences and imagined social situations.

● Findings: The study finds that prejudice begins early in childhood and is influenced more by societal attitudes than direct contact with African Americans.

NY. ARCHIVES OF PSYCHOLOGY. R. S. WOODWORTH, EDITOR. No. 194. 1916. 48p.

By W.D. Weatherford,

Addresses the complex issue of racial adjustment and is introduced by James H. Dillard. It explores the history and progress of Black people from Africa to America, highlighting the struggles and achievements in the face of adversity. The author emphasizes the importance of mutual understanding and trust between races to overcome racial antipathy and achieve social justice. Historical Context: The book provides a detailed account of the African background, the impact of slavery, and the ongoing challenges faced by Black people in America.

NEGRO UNIVERSITIES PRESS. NEW YORK. 1924. 483p.

Kenneth Little

● This book emphasizes that history and social context are more influential than biological race in shaping cultural differences and racial attitudes. Racial prejudice is not innate but learned through socialization, often during early childhood.

● Global Examples: The book provides case studies from various countries, including South Africa, Brazil, Hawaii, and the United States, to illustrate different racial dynamics and policies.

● References: The document includes numerous references to works by various authors on race and society, providing a comprehensive bibliography for further reading.

UNESCO. 1958. 54Pp.

By Olive Anderson

Historical Context: The book explores the history of suicide in Victorian and Edwardian England, focusing on statistical data, personal experiences, societal attitudes, and prevention efforts.

Statistical Analysis: It examines the processes behind official suicide statistics, highlighting the variability in data collection and the challenges in interpreting these statistics accurately.

Personal Experiences: The book delves into individual case histories,particularly through coroners' records, to understand the personal andsocial contexts of suicide during this period.

Societal Attitudes and Prevention: It discusses the societal attitudes towards suicide and the various efforts made by authorities and individuals to prevent it, including legal, medical, and philanthropic interventions.

Clarendon Press, 1987, 475 pages

By Jeffrey Rosen

Virtue and Happiness: The book explores how classical writers onvirtue, such as Cicero, inspired the Founding Fathers of America andshaped their understanding of happiness.

Founders' Virtues: It discusses the virtues that key figures like BenjaminFranklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams valued and practiced, suchas temperance, humility, and industry.

Historical Influence: The text highlights how ancient wisdom and philosophical works influenced the development of American political thought and the pursuit of happiness.

References: The document contains numerous references to classical and Enlightenment philosophers, as well as historical texts that shaped the Founders' ideas.

Simon and Schuster, Feb 13, 2024, 355 pages