I am pleased to announce the publication of The Piling of Tophet, the autobiography of John T. Fowler.

John Fowler was born on Long Island, New York in 1843, and spent his youth as a farmer. When he was in his late twenties, he developed auditory hallucinations and delusions, and was committed to the Hudson River State Hospital in Poughkeepsie.

He wrote his autobiography, The Piling of Tophet, while living at the hospital, and his book was published in 1879. The neurologist Dr. Frederick Peterson reviewed The Piling of Tophet in 1889, writing:

“It is remarkable for its excellent literary style, and for its keen reasoning and psychological analysis…It is as fascinating as a novel.”

Woven into John Fowler’s life story are five additional chapters — covering his life philosophy, his views on religion, his experience of hearing voices, and a record of his dreams —providing rich context for understanding his life and thought.

Now in print after 145 years, this new and unabridged edition of The Piling of Tophet comes with an historical introduction, notes, and photographs.

The Piling of Tophet is available for purchase at Lucetia.com, Amazon, Apple Books, and Barnes & Noble.

To read how The Piling of Tophet came to be republished in 2023, please click here.

To read excerpts from the writing of John T. Fowler, please click here