Barondes now takes on all of psychopharmacology, dealing with drugs such as amphetamines, antianxiety agents, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and even sildenafil. Barondes addresses psychopharmacology at multiple levels that are elegantly balanced. The book commences and ends with a detailed recounting of a (presumably) hypothetical patient, Clara, and her efforts to deal with mild depression through psychotherapy and a variety of drugs. To clarify sociopsychological influences, Barondes recounts the serendipitous ways in which the drugs were discovered, affording insights into the molecular mechanisms whereby they act. Barondes then teaches the reader basic elements of neurotransmitters, biochemistry, genetics, and even drug metabolism.