Suicide in America

by Herbert Hendin

Who commits suicide in this country, and why? Should we legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia? What has the last decade taught us about those who are suicidal? In this new edition of his acclaimed work, Dr. Herbert Hendin addresses these and other important questions. Demonstrating that treatment of seriously suicidal people is possible, he also shows how our social policy toward suicide is marked by misconception. He evaluates the "right-to-die" movement, and in a comprehensive new chapter he presents a powerful portrait of euthanasia and assisted suicide in the Netherlands. Interviews with the leading practitioners and proponents are included. This book, integrating psychological and social knowledge, has much to say not only about how we die but also about how we choose to live.