Great British Suicides

Suicide is a macabre subject, but one that is endlessly fascinating. How does someone feel themselves so without hope that they have to kill themselves? When that person is talented and loved by millions, it seems all the more tragic. Tony Hancock managed to make all of Britain laugh, Virginia Woolf enthralled the reading public, and Joy Division’s Ian Curtis thrilled music lovers, yet all felt the need to commit suicide. Others have been made famous by the way in which they ended their lives. Then there are those who take their own lives as a political statement, among them the suicide bombers who have brought so much carnage to contemporary life. In this gruesome yet intriguing study, Sue Smart looks at the favored methods of suicide and considers the impact it has on our culture and our understanding of what our lives mean. From the greatest and best-loved members of society to the worst monsters who take their lives in prison rather than face their crimes, this is an unflinching look at the last taboo.