Truths to Be Described Rather Than Problems to Be Discussed

Reviews the book, Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry by Michael Gelder, Dennis Gath, and Richard Mayou (1983). Targeted primarily for trainee psychiatrists and advanced medical students, the book is a compendium of practical information drawn largely from British psychiatry. The book's major strength lies in providing the novice with the sense that the field can be easily encompassed, unfortunately, this goal is reached at the price of oversimplification. The authors commendably attempt to sensitize the trainee to the patient's perspective in such delicate matters as medication compliance and the assessment of psychotic experiences. This book is a psychiatric book of lists. The coverage is variable, with topics such as depression and electroconvulsive therapy admirably presented and others such as neurological disorders and psychological treatment covered only superficially. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)