Eve LaPlante Boeken

Seized is a narrative portrait of a common brain disorder that can alter personality, illuminating the mind-body problem and the limits of free will. An invaluable resource for anyone touched by epilepsy, Seized gives first-hand accounts of three ordinary patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), explaining what they suffer and how they cope. The book also tells the stories of creative luminaries diagnosed with or suspected of having TLE, including van Gogh, Dostoevsky, Lewis Carroll, Saint Paul, and Flaubert. The psychological implications of Seized are, according to Publishers Weekly, "staggering." Kirkus Reviews called the book "Fascinating . . . LaPlante's descriptions of the human brain are wonderfully concrete, her historical research is well presented, and her empathy for TLE's victims is clear." In this "fascinating account of medical research," Howard Gardner noted, "LaPlante shows how a brain scar may cause bizarre aggressive or sexual behavior--and works of profound creative imagination."

Set in 1637, the narrative centers on Anne Hutchinson, a pregnant midwife facing charges of heresy and sedition before a male-dominated court. Despite societal restrictions on women, Hutchinson's compelling ideas garnered a significant following advocating for social reform. Her eloquent defense highlights her political acumen, yet the judges, perceiving her as a threat to the established order, ultimately banish her for defying gender norms. The story explores themes of gender, power, and the struggle for individual rights in a repressive society.

The author, a descendent of Samuel Sewall, chronicles the controversy surrounding the judge's involvement in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and his subsequent public repentance.