Carl Jung

by Paul Bishop

Swiss-born Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) was one of the pioneers of psychology, largely responsible for the introduction of now-familiar psychological terms such as “introvert,” “extrovert,” and “collective unconscious.” But in spite of this, Jung has often remained on the fringes of academic discourse. Seeking to understand Jung in view of not only his life, but also in light of his extensive reading and prolific writing, this new biography reclaims Jung as a major European thinker whose true significance has not been fully appreciated.
 
Paul Bishop follows Jung from his early childhood to his years at the University of Basel and his close relationship―and eventual break―with Sigmund Freud. Exploring Jung’s ideas, Bishop takes up the psychiatrist’s suggestion that “the tragedies of Goethe’s  Faust  and Nietzsche’s  Thus Spoke Zarathustra  . . . mark the first glimmerings of a breakthrough of total experience in our Western hemisphere,” engaging with Jung’s scholarship to offer one of the fullest appreciations yet of his distinctive approach to culture. Bishop also considers the role that the  Red Book , written between 1914 and 1930 but not published until 2009, played in the progression of Jung’s thought, allowing Bishop to provide a new assessment of this divisive personality. Jung’s attempt to synthesize the different parts of human life, Bishop argues, marks the man as one of the most important theorists of the twentieth century.
 
Providing a compelling examination of the life of this highly influential figure, the concise and accessible  Carl Jung  will find a place on the shelves of students, scholars, and both clinical and amateur psychologists alike.

Genres: Psychology, Biography, Nonfiction, Philosophy

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first exposure to Paul Bishop's work and I was quite impressed. I've never read secondary source on Jung which went into as much detail as Bishop did on his philosophical biography. This is also the only biography of Jung I've read which mentioned "The Red Book".

I now have a greater appreciation for how Jung's work was influenced by both Goethe and Nietzsche. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Jung's intellectual biography.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read, more tp jung.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less focus on the biography would have been helpful. Interesting read otherwise.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, short biography emphasizing Jung's written works. However, the author neglects to cover some basic Jungian ideas, including those that are the bedrock of his understanding of the psyche. For example, there is no discussion of Jung's method of dream interpretation. Still, a very good book if you've already got a good understanding of the basics.