The career of a suicidologist

Abstract

Purpose This essay aims to describe how the author began his career as a suicidologist and his style that made him so productive. Design/methodology/approach The author used autobiographical details to illustrate the elements of his career. Findings Childhood experiences include sleeping in air raid shelter from 1942 to 1945 in London (UK), while his style includes obsessiveness in reading everything on suicide, applying ideas from other fields (such as economics) to the study of suicide and obtaining academic freedom early in his career. Originality/value The essay offers guidelines for others who are in the early stages of a career as a researcher.