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With The Noonday Demon, Andrew Solomon has written a scholarly and personal examination of depression.

From the writings of the Roman physician and philosopher Galen (129-210 A.D.) to the present, depression has been a long recognized mental disease. Mankind's understanding and treatment of this demon has reflected the extremes of our history. Galen saw this disease as part of the human condition and psychopharmaceutically treatable. Amazingly modern theory reflects almost exactly Galen's original ideas.

History has swung through the extremes of emotion and understanding of depression. From the Middle Ages, when depression was seen as a punishment for a sinning soul-deep depression was evidence of possession and if the demon could not be exorcised then the suffering individual must be gotten rid of. Seen as one of the original seven deadly sins-sloth-a stigma became attached to depression that still exists today.

It was during the Renaissance that depression began to be romanticized as "melancholy." In Northern Europe it was seen as a dangerous misfortune leaving people open to the influence of the devil, while in Southern Europe it was seen in a relationship with genius. Eventually melancholy passed through a stage of being fashionable-a reflection of a deep and sensitive soul.

No matter how depression was seen by society, the individual sufferer has had to deal with the often crippling effects of the disease. It is through interviews and his own very personal experiences that Andrew Solomon paints a deeply moving portrayal of the disease. The extremes of the disease from the higher functioning states of "normalcy" to the crippling despondency that leaves no option but total dependency, provide the constant state of fear that accompanies the sufferer. The prejudice that has been aimed at this disease often acts to prevent the sufferer from following a consistent treatment plan-always looking for the "cure" that will relieve the condition and obviate the necessity of taking pills and continuing therapy. Through reading this book I have been able to better understand the magnitude of this disease and accept the fact that it is a constant companion subject to treatment but following a life of its own. While it is treatable through a variety of drugs that seek to balance the body's own chemistry, it will suddenly become nonresponsive to formally successful medication and will need the constant supervision of a continuously monitored treatment plan.

In a carefully prepared presentation, the author provides an encompassing portrait of this disease. From describing cultures where depression is practically the norm, to showing the interrelationship of the various economic and political factors involved in our society, this book is both informative and thought provoking.

Discussing his choice of the title The Noonday Demon, Mr. Solomon explains that: "The image serves to conjure the terrible feeling of invasion that attends the depressive's plight. There is something brazen about depression….Depression stands in the full glare of the sun, unchallenged by recognition. You can know all the why and wherefore and suffer just as much as if you were shrouded by ignorance. There is almost no other mental state of which the same can be said."

When we're young, we tend to see ourselves through our accomplishments-things we've acquired, feats completed. As we age, we begin to see ourselves in terms of the events we've survived. Depression can be mild and last a relatively short time; or it can grow into a major event, but even the worst period can be lived through. The process requires a lot of self-examination and acceptance of one's limitations. Surviving depression can be a time of personal growth.