Jon Stock – The Sleep Room

The Sleep Room is a chilling exposé of Dr William Sargant’s bizarre psychiatric treatments that were inflicted on hundreds of women with mental illness – among them the actor Celia Imrie. At the story’s centre is a sinister and charismatic doctor, who was a hugely influential figure in post-war British society – lauded by Robert Graves and Aldous Huxley as well as regularly appearing on the BBC. When Sargant died in 1988, the obituaries were glowing. Since then, women treated without their consent and with often horrific side-effects lasting decades have been campaigning to tell the truth about Sargant.

Join acclaimed author Jon Stock as he talks about these women’s stories, as well as delving into the murky history of Sargant’s links with the CIA and M15, both of which took a close interest in his efforts to reprogramme the human mind. As compulsive as a thriller, The Sleep Room finally gets to the truth of a scandal at the heart of the British medical establishment.