The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct is a 1961 book by the psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, in which the author criticizes psychiatry and argues against the concept of mental illness. It received much publicity, and has become a classic, well known as an argument that "mentally ill" is a label which psychiatrists have used against people "disabled by living" rather than truly having a disease.
Violence and the Sacred (French: La violence et le sacré) is a 1972 book about the sacred by the French critic René Girard, in which the author explores the ritual role of sacrifice. The book received both positive reviews, which praised Girard's theory of the sacred, and more mixed assessments. Some commentators have seen the book as a work that expresses or points toward a Christian religious perspective. However, the book has also been seen as "atheistic" or "hostile to religion". Violence and the Sacred became highly influential, in anthropology, literary criticism, and even Christology. It has been compared to the classicist Walter Burkert's Homo Necans (1972). Girard further developed its ideas in a subsequent book, Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World (1978).
[...] and Reason is a 1992 book about human sexuality by the economist and federal judge Richard Posner, in which the author attempts to explain [...] behavior in economic terms and discusses a range of controversial subjects related to [...], proposing reforms in American laws.
The book received mixed reviews. The work was described as ambitious and Posner was credited with providing a learned discussion of, and a valuable overview of scholarly literature about, [...]. It was noted that Posner's discussion of homosexuality played a central role in his work. Some reviewers praised Posner's treatment of gay rights issues, including service in the American military by gay people, but others criticized his treatment of homosexuality. Posner was also criticized for his treatment of women's [...] behavior and preferences, feminism, female infanticide, welfare, contraception, [...], prostitution, [...], and abortion, his use of sociobiology, the authorities he relied upon, and his approach to morality. Reviewers considered some of Posner's conclusions speculative. Posner subsequently reevaluated his view of gay rights, and abandoned the opposition to same-[...] marriage he had expressed in the work.
What Wild [...]: The Rise and Fall of the [...] Revolution is a 1997 book about the [...] revolution by John Heidenry. The book received mixed reviews. It was described as interesting and Heidenry was complimented for his discussions of figures such as Bob Guccione, Hugh Hefner, Larry Flynt, and Reuben Sturman. However, he was criticized for his research methods. He was accused of plagiarism because of the use he made of material by other writers, receiving criticism in particular from the journalist Philip Nobile. Critics also wrote that he focused disproportionately on [...] and gave insufficient attention to feminism and women's issues.