The Pleasure Shock

Praise for The Pleasure Shock “[A] wide-ranging, thoughtful exploration…Frank has written an excellent, balanced portrait of an inventive psychiatrist with a complicated legacy.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A thoughtful, always interesting look into the workings of the mind—and the sometimes-surprising implications of how those workings have been revealed.” –Kirkus Reviews “Frank has traced and interviewed surviving patients, former collaborators, family members and current DBS scientists. The result is a rarity: a thrilling, well-researched read.” –Nature "Compelling... engaging... an accessible and entertaining description of this relatively unknown chapter in the history of DBS." –The Lancet "Nuanced and thoughtful." –The Washington Free Beacon “A beautifully written, nuanced compendium that unfurls like an engrossing mystery, filled with colorful characters, gripping drama and mind-blowing scientific history in the making, definitely one of the most mesmerizing nonfiction books with New Orleans roots ever.” –New Orleans Living " The Pleasure Shock is a page-turner full of fascinating characters, high-stakes drama, and profound ethical dilemmas. Lone Frank—a trained neuroscientist and gifted storyteller—illuminates the dark roots of a modern-day medical marvel, and her book should be required reading for anyone interested in our ongoing efforts to tame the human mind by tinkering with the human brain." –Luke Dittrich, award-winning author of Patient H.M. "Scientists who are ahead of their time are often odd characters. Robert Heath is a dramatic example. Lone Frank brings his history and dramatic personality to life. She tells the untold story of his work on deep brain stimulation as a treatment for mental disorders. Was it pioneering or premature? Her nuanced portrait reveals Heath as a scientist-clinician who is neither monster nor hero, but passionate and persistent. I am astounded that I never knew this story despite decades in psychiatry. Others will be as fascinated as I am." –Dr. Randolph Nesse, author of Why We Get Sick “ The Pleasure Shock is an illuminating expose on yet another dark, misunderstood time in our medical past. I could not put this book down.” –Paul Ruggieri MD, author of Confessions of a Surgeon "The Pleasure Shock is not only a fascinating biography of brain-implant pioneer Robert Heath. It also explores a profound and disturbing question: Can we, and should we, use technology to eradicate suffering and evil?" –John Horgan, Director, Center for Science Writings, Stevens Institute of Technology, and author of The End of Science