William Seabrook (1884–1945)

For those that want to get a glimpse of how the world treated Alcoholism before AA then Seabrook's biography is a great starting place. I've been wanting to read it ever since I heard it mentioned in the Big Book (1st edition) story Women Suffer Too.
Seabrook tells of his treatment while in an Asylum. The book itself is in need of a good editor as he tends to chase rabbits; however, the tale itself is still haunting and powerful. Perhaps the saddest part is Seabrook has glimpses of some of AA's basic wisdom and yet it is just beyond his grasp or the doctors and system of the Asylum discount it and thus lead him right back into his troubles.
Of note: pg 147. Example of powerlessness - "I had known I was "lost" and wanted to be "saved." I had known that my own strength, my own will, could no longer save me. I had been willing to "abase" myself, to relinquish myself, my life, my will, my body into hands stronger than my own. I was through, and I knew it." He told his doctor about this and he "didn't like it any too well. He felt there was some hidden cowardice in it and afraid to face life."
pg. 250 "I explained to the doctor I had dug as deep into myself as I could and that I was afraid my trade had been the cause of my drunkenness. I was afraid that what had driven me to drink was the fear that I could never write well enough for it to make any difference whether I wrote at all or not......" The Doc's reply "No, I don't think you're fear has anything to do with it." AH!!! I wanted to scream at the psych doctor.
Sadly, they told Seabrook he could go back to drinking safely, which he did not do, and thus 10 years later OD in 1945 before his writing could achieve the fame it deserved.… (mais)

William Seabrook est un des rares étrangers à avoir été réellement adopté par une communauté indigène de Haïti. C'est ainsi qu'il a pu personnellement assister aux cérémonies du culte vaudou où la sorcellerie, la sexualité et la mort sont étroitement liées.
Depuis la parution de son ouvrage, de nombreux auteurs ont tenté de décrire les pratiques du vaudou et ses cérémonies occultes, mais ils n'y avaient jamais été intimement mêlés. William Seabrook, seul, fut admis à visiter les caches les plus secrètes de l'île, et à assister aux manifestations terrifiantes de la magie haïtienne. II reçut même le baptême du sang de la main de Maman Célie et fut amené à rencontrer un mort-vivant, un véritable zombi, rappelé à la vie par les sorciers vaudou.… (mais)