Identity's Architect: A Biography of Erik H. Erikson

by Lawrence J. Friedman

Identity's Architect is the first comprehensive biography of Erik Erikson, postwar America's most influential psychological thinker, who decisively reshaped our views of human development. Drawing on private materials and extensive interviews, award-winning historian Lawrence J. Friedman illuminates the relationship between Erikson's personal life and his groundbreaking notion of the life cycle and the identity crisis. A decade in the making, this book is indispensable for anyone who hopes to understand fully the life and intellectual legacy of one of the most significant figures of our time.

Genres: Psychology

600 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sought out this book because I happened across a reference to Eric Erickson studying the Yurok Tribe. Some years ago I lived near the Yurok tribal area and worked closely with two woman who had married Yurok brothers. I could not help but learn about Yurok tribal issues, often related to their mutual mother-in-law who would have been a teenager when during Erickson's time with the tribe.

As it turned out, Erickson spend only a few weeks with the Yuroks,and that without free access to their villages, supposedly because there was a land dispute going on with the federal government. (There were still disputes in the 1980s when I moved away.) Not much of the book covered this part of Erickson's life, but it appears that he used the tribe to make a point based on almost no first hand information.

I never could get real traction reading this book. It was hard for me to care about the subject and his ideas. It does seem to be a fairly detailed biography, but I don't feel any connection to the subject. I can't renew it at the library any more so will take it back.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone who was in college in the 1960's read Erikson. And having more recently read Robert Coles on Erikson's work followed by Erikson's daughter's "In the Shadow of Fame", I wanted to read something to help me integrate the two perspectives. Friedman's biography does that. It is a fascinating and personalized account that will leave you meditating on human nature for a long time.

[Anthony Cleveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friedman does an exceptional service to those trying to understand one of the great psychologists of the 20th century, Erik Erikson. I don't know if I really liked the book as much as I just like Erikson but I would heartily recommend this one for anyone teaching Developmental psychology or for that matter, anyone who simply wants to learn more of this interesting and complex cultural icon. Ever hear of the "mid-life crisis" or listen to someone talk about their need to "find themselves"? That's Erikson at work .... One of my personal favorite Eriksonian quotes, "Life doesn't make any sense without interdependence. We need each other." Amen to that ...