By Alexander Murray

Historical Context: The book exploressuicide in medieval Europe,focusing on the period from the millennium to 1500.

Three-Part Structure: The book is divided into three parts:The Violent against Themselves, The Curse on Self-Murder, and The Mapping of Mental Desolation.

Sources and Evidence: The author uses a wide range of sources, including legal records, chronicles, and religious texts, to examine attitudes and cases of suicide.

Limitations and Scope: The study is limited to medieval Europe, excluding earlier periods and certain groups like the Cathars and Jews.

Oxford University Press, 1998, 485 pages

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