Bertrand Russell

Book Description

The most psychologically revealing examination yet of one of the most extraordinary men of the 20th century.

At the centre of this volume is the tragic, deeply moving story of Russell’s relationship with his first son, John. Previous biographies focused on his achievements in philosophy and troubled relationships with friends and lovers. But while this
book covers his public life in abundant detail, what sets it apart is the way Monk illuminates the most important relationship in Russell’s life. His intimate role as John’s father was the relationship in which he invested most of his time and emotional energy. Until now that story has remained largely untold. The Ghost of Madness traces Russell’s joy at John’s birth to his frightened alarm at John’s collapse into schizophrenia. Russell’s hopes that John would lead ‘an independent, fearless and free’ generation provide a microcosm of his hopes for society at large. In both cases, the scale of his disappointment can only be appreciated by understanding the extent of his expectations.