# ID This 80s Novel?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-80s-novel/501838>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 3, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-80s-novel/501838 "2009-07-03T19:15:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-80s-novel/501838/1 "2009-07-03T19:15:52Z")

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I remember reading a book review in Playboy back in the late 80s or early 90s, and never getting around to reading the book. Here’s what I remember about it: The protagonist was a disgraced doctor who had lost his license and done some prison time for selling drugs. Later in life, he’s in a rural community where people suddenly start exhibiting hypersexual or narcissistic behavior, and he discovers that the town fathers are dosing the water system with lithium. Ring any bells?

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-80s-novel/501838/2 "2009-07-03T19:33:47Z")

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Sodium rather than lithium, but it sounds like it has to be [The Thanatos Syndrome](http://www.amazon.com/Thanatos-Syndrome-Novel-Walker-Percy/dp/0312243324/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246649494&sr=1-1) by Walker Percy.

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-80s-novel/501838/3 "2009-07-03T19:57:12Z")

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Sure looks like it, thanks!