The Geography of Madness: Penis Thieves, Voodoo Death, and the Search for the Meaning of the World's Strangest Syndromes

About this book

Why do some men become convinceddespite what doctors tell themthat their penises have simply disappeared. Why do people across the world become convinced that they are cursed to die on a particular dateand then do? Why do people in Malaysia suddenly run amok? In The Geography of Madness acclaimed magazine writer Frank Bures investigates these and other culture-bound syndromes tracing each seemingly baffling phenomenon to its source. Its a fascinating and at times rollicking adventure that takes the reader around the world and deep into the oddities of the human psyche. What Bures uncovers along the way is a poignant and stirring story of the persistence of belief fear and hope.