Intended for the general reader, this masterful compilation probes the psychology of suicide, revealing the latest research and spotlighting global efforts to reduce the million suicide deaths each year.

Exceeding previously available studies in both scope and depth, the two-volume Suicide: A Global Issue explores and explains both why suicides—and suicide attempts—occur and what can be done to prevent them. The first volume, Understanding, considers factors that may play into the choice to take one's life, discussing forces as varied as culture, psychology, religion, and biology. The second volume, Prevention, covers steps that can be taken to prevent suicide, whether individually or by society as a whole. Articles by widely respected experts consider questions such as why people kill themselves, why some countries have extremely high suicide rates, and whether the treatment of suicidal individuals actually prevents them from taking their lives. Each chapter presents incidents, research, and actions from nations around the globe, as well as from the United States.