Harry Tiebout or Living in the Labyrinth

Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writings

Author: Harry Tiebout

One of the first psychiatrists to describe alcoholism as a disease rather than a moral failing or criminal activity, Harry M. Tiebout was also one of the first to wholeheartedly endorse Alcoholics Anonymous as an effective force in the struggle against compulsive drinking. This volume brings together, for the first time, some of Tiebout's most influential writings. Many of these pieces—from explorations of the therapeutic approach to alcoholism to instructive discussions of the act of surrender so crucial to recovery—are seminal documents in the history, treatment, and understanding of alcoholism. Together, they represent the significant contribution of one man to the countless lives shaken by alcoholism and steadied with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, psychiatric intervention, and the foresight and commitment of doctors like Harry Tiebout.

See also: Discourse on the Origin of Inequality or Richard M Nixon

Living in the Labyrinth: A Personal Journey through the Maze of Alzheimer's

Author: Diana Friel McGowin

Living In The Labyrinth is the story of how one woman found the strength and the courage to cope with a devastating disease that has afflicted five million Americans. Far from being an exercise in self-pity or a standard autobiography, this is an unflinching and ultimately uplifting look at a debilitating illness from the inside out.

Publishers Weekly

The last person one might expect to write a book about Alzheimer's disease is somebody sick with it. And yet McGowin, a middle-aged legal assistant living in Florida, here describes the slipping away of her life: she became confused easily, couldn't remember how to do her job, had to ``retire early,'' and didn't even know what was causing all of this disorientation. Unfortunately, she didn't have the most supportive of husbands, and was too embarrassed to confide in her children. Several physicians she consulted ``pooh-poohed'' her deteriorating condition with the all-too-familiar ``see a psychiatrist'' routine. Finally, after extensive medical and psychological testing, a doctor made the definitive diagnosis--early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Make no mistake: this wrenching account is neither a ``pity me'' look at Alzheimer's nor a standard autobiography. Instead, it is the story of how a woman took charge of her life under difficult circumstances. Friel tells how she relearned everyday tasks most often taken for granted. She also shows how habits and relationships had to change to meet new needs and challenges. She includes appendices of warning symptoms and national organizations that may be of help to Alzheimer's sufferers and their families. (Jan.)