Seeing Addiction - by Griffith Edwards (Paperback)

About the Book

This book is a personal memoir by one of the most influential leaders of addiction science, providing an insider's view how addiction research affected treatment, public health and health policy.

Book Synopsis

This book is a personal memoir about the career and professional experiences of one of the modern world's most influential addiction scientists. Its chapters explore the inner world of a master clinician who learned immensely from his patients, defended their rights as a forensic psychiatrist, and translated their needs into evidence-based treatments and policy at the global level. The first part of the book is about "seeing addiction" through the eyes of a visionary who was the formulator of the alcohol dependence syndrome concept, the inspirational leader of the UK National Addiction Centre, the longtime editor of the world's leading addiction journal, the author of numerous books on addiction treatment and policy, and the always iconoclastic voice on the lecture circuit.

The second part of the book is a compendium of Edwards' published and unpublished travelogues, from his formative visits to America in 1955 and 1961, to his inspirational walk with Mother Teresa through the streets of Calcutta in 1970.

From this unique lens of experiential learning and advisory work with the World Health Organization, the reader is able to see how scientific creativity is both a personal and a collective process. As the final statement in the career of a seminal addiction scientist, this memoir shows how Griffith Edwards challenged the status quo, pushed the envelope of critical thinking, demonstrated compassion for addicted patients, questioned conventional wisdom, promoted research integrity, translated research into policy, and most of all, created institutions that continue to change things for the better.

Review Quotes

"This book is a real surprise to have and a hidden treasure that has been put together 13 years after the death of the author." - Prof. Iain Smith, University of Glasgow

"Each chapter speaks for itself but added together give a cohesive narrative." - Prof. Iain Smith, University of Glasgow

"It is particularly timely as in 2026 we will have reached the 50th anniversary of the Alcohol Dependence Syndrome concept and there is likely to be much discussion around the continuing utility of this concept that we have Griffith Edwards and one or two others to thank for. This book will help inform the discussions in the anniversary year to come." - Prof. Iain Smith, University of Glasgow