The Best Minds

The brilliant and schizophrenic Michael Laudor—the author's best friend—brutally murders his pregnant partner, shocking an entire country. Prompted by this event, Jonathan Rosen unfolds the story of a multifaceted childhood friendship. Through his relentless narrative, the failure of medicine and society to assist the severely mentally ill is reflected. A novelistic narrative about how the best of intentions often lead to delusions and sometimes to unspeakable tragedies. A panorama of a historical period, the human psyche, psychiatry, and all that haunts us on a deeply personal level.