Of God and Madness: A Historical Novel

by T. Byram Karasu M.D.

Overview

Of God And Madness is the story of Adam, an emotionally troubled young man whose spiritual journey enables him to become a godly adult. Adam is a child of a Jewish woman (a palace concubine) and the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Raised in palatial surroundings by a French Catholic governess, Adam is exposed to the teachings of all three of the religions of Abraham, as he is tutored by an Armenian Christian music teacher, a Muslim imam, and a Jewish rabbi. In this intriguing saga, which spans the first fifty years of the last century, Adam comes of age during the tumultuous end of the Ottoman Empire while attempting to maintain his own precarious sanity. Ensnared by the havoc created by World War I in Istanbul and World War II in Paris, as well as the turmoil in Jerusalem during the final years of British rule, Adam struggles to make sense of God. This is the story of a man who began searching for God and ended up finding himself. 'A passionate tour-de-force of faith and psyche and a captivatingly transformative journey.' _Deepak Chopra Cover photo: The Hagia Sophia (in Greek it means 'The Holy Wisdom'), located in Istanbul, Turkey, which served originally as an Orthodox Christian cathedral and later as an Islamic mosque, is now a secular museum.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742559752
Publisher:	Aronson, Jason Inc.
Publication date:	05/08/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	252
Product dimensions:	5.99(w) x 8.96(h) x 0.72(d)

About the Author

T. Byram Karasu, M.D., a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, is presently the Silverman Professor and University Chairman of the Deparmtent of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstien College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, and the editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Psychotherapy. He is the author or editor of 20 books, including two novels, Of God and Madness and The Gotham Chronicles—The Culture of Sociopathy; a book of poetry, Rags of My Soul; the seminal work, Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders; and two best sellers, The Art of Serenity and The Spirit of Happiness. Dr. Karasu is a scholar, renowned clinician, teacher and lecturer, and the recipient of numerous awards. He lives in New York City.

What People are Saying About This

"What a provocative and evocative work! Dr. Karasu continues to astound the reader with his imagination and originality! Each page is a marvel. His book, Of God and Madness, is a magnificent culmination of the spiritual trilogy he began with his earlier books, The Art of Serenity and The Spirit of Happiness. Of God and Madness speaks with brilliant eloquence to the universal nature of yearnings for the soulful and spiritual, and challenges the reader most profoundly. This deeply moving book is a passionate tour-de-force of faith and psyche and a captivatingly transformative journey."
—Deepak Chopra, author of How to Know God

"What a beautiful and fascinating book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Even readers who are not versed in Ottoman history and culture will be enthralled by Adam's extraordinary story."
—Vamik Volkan, M.D., co-author of The Immortal Ataturk

"A masterpiece! Of God and Madness made me laugh, cry, and cherish every moment of my life. T. Byram Karasu is a master storyteller, a brilliant writer, and a tender guide into the mystery, depth, and power of love. Don't miss this book."
—Gary Zukav, author of The Seat of the Soul and The Dancing Wu Li Masters

"Of God and Madness is more than just an exquisite read. It is a breathtaking experience of our quest for the meaning of meaning. Often hilarious, a book for our times, Dr. Karasu's unfolding of a life journey can enable us to reach a higher level of self-understanding and achieve serenity and fullness in our own lives. His passion and eloquence engages our hearts and souls with every word. I could not put it down. Neither will you."
—Marcella Bakur Weiner, Ph.D., co-editor of Psychotherapy and Religion: Many Paths, One Journey

Editorial Reviews

A masterpiece! Of God and Madness made me laugh, cry, and cherish every moment of my life. T. Byram Karasu is a master storyteller, a brilliant writer, and a tender guide into the mystery, depth, and power of love. Don't miss this book.

Gary Zukav

Of God and Madness is more than just an exquisite read. It is a breathtaking experience of our quest for the meaning of meaning. Often hilarious, a book for our times, Dr. Karasu's unfolding of a life journey can enable us to reach a higher level of self-understanding and achieve serenity and fullness in our own lives. His passion and eloquence engages our hearts and souls with every word. I could not put it down. Neither will you.

Marcella Bakur Weiner

What a provocative and evocative work! Dr. Karasu continues to astound the reader with his imagination and originality! Each page is a marvel. His book, Of God and Madness, is a magnificent culmination of the spiritual trilogy he began with his earlier books, The Art of Serenity and The Spirit of Happiness. Of God and Madness speaks with brilliant eloquence to the universal nature of yearnings for the soulful and spiritual, and challenges the reader most profoundly. This deeplymoving book is a passionate tour-de-force of faith and psyche and a captivatingly transformative journey.

Deepak Chopra

What a beautiful and fascinating book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Even readers who are not versed in Ottoman history and culture will be enthralled by Adam's extraordinary story.

Vamik Volkan

What a beautiful and fascinating book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Even readers who are not versed in Ottoman history and culture will be enthralled by Adam's extraordinary story.

Vamik Volkan M.D.