Muses, Madmen, and Prophets

An inquiry into hearing voices-one of humanity's most profound phenomena

Auditory hallucination is one of the most awe-inspiring, terrifying, and ill- understood tricks of which the human psyche is capable. In the age of modern medical science, we have relegated this experience to nothing more than a biological glitch. Yet as Daniel B. Smith puts forth in Muses, Madmen, and Prophets, some of the greatest thinkers, leaders, and prophets in history heard, listened to, and had dialogues with voices inside their heads. In a fascinating quest for understanding, Smith examines the history of this powerful phenomenon, and delivers a ringing defense of the validity of unusual human experiences."Articulate, engaging, and deeply researched."
-Dr. Jerome Groopman, The Boston Globe

"Fascinating."
-Peter D. Kramer, The New York Times Book Review

"An eloquent writer."
-San Francisco ChronicleDaniel B. Smith is a New York–based journalist and author. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, Granta, and n+1.