Psychiatrist, prophet, philosopher and poet, R.D. Laing was one of the most stimulating thinkers of the 20th century. His books The Divided Self and Self and Others revolutionized the common understanding of such concepts as madness, family life and society. This book brings together personal reflections, a scientific lecture, haunting overheard conversations, disturbing accounts of callous conventional psychiatry and poignant scenes from Laing's childhood. The author looks at sex, our personalities and some of our psychological problems tracing these back to birth and the cutting of the cord, even to life in the womb. The implications challenge many of our most cherished assumptions about life.