Desperate Lives

Desperate Lives: Based on a Real Life Story

George Thomas

Nearly all of us in times of desperation and fear may say "I wish I was dead." There are a few who may attempt or carry out that wish. This story is about Jonathan
Smalley, a 59 year-old laid-off company executive who attempted suicide. He
is confined to a suicide watch ward. He tells the stories of his fellow
patients who attempted to take their own lives. Suicides transcend regions, religions, races, ethnic cultures, and classes. In the early 2000s, Russians had among the highest suicide rates in the world. In the U.S. was the 11th leading cause of death.  Men do it nearly four times the rate of women representing 80 percent of all suicides. "Desperate Lives" provides insights
into the suicidal mind. The narrative is based on the real life stories of patients in a
Suicide Watch ward.

George Thomas (academic pen-name, Raju G. C.  Thomas) is the author and contributing editor of more than a dozen books on national and international security, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism.  He has published more than 100 journal and newspaper articles including articles published in The Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Times, Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, Der Standard, Le Courier, El Tiempo, and the Hindustan Times. He was educated at the London School of Economics, UCLA, Harvard and MIT.