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Amanta lui Freud
Un roman palpitant inspirat de presupusa relaţie de dragoste dintre Freud şi cumnata sa. Viena sfârşitul de secol 19. Minna Bernays, o doamnă de companie extrem de inteligentă şi cu o educaţie peste medie, este concediată din nou. Se trezeşte în stradă fără prea multe opţiuni în epoca aceea în care, pentru o femeie, singura speranţă în ceea ce priveşte siguranţa zilei de mâine este căsătoria. Dar Minna nu doreşte să se mărite. De disperare, apelează la sora ei, Martha. Martha are propriile probleme şase copii şi un soţ absent şi dezinteresat care se întâmplă să fie Sigmund Freud. Este perioada în ca re Freud luptă pentru a se impune profesional, teoriile sale despre sexualitate fiind privite cu rezervă şi criticate de către lumea academică. În vreme ce Martha este şocată şi dezgustată de opera pornografică a soţului ei, Minna este de-a dreptul fascinată. În această poveste complexă de dragoste, loialitate şi trădare, realitatea şi ficţiunea se amestecă perfect, creând portretul irezistibil al unei femei de neuitat şi al eforturilor de a împăca afecţiunea pentru sora ei cu obsesia faţă de soţul acesteia, legendarul părinte al psihanalizei. "E aproape imposibil să ratezi un roman inspirat de zvonurile legate de relaţia lui Sigmund Freud cu cumnata sa. Este o poveste care va atrage mulţi cititori către principiul plăcerii." Whitney Otto
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
101 people are currently reading
5660 people want to read
About the author
Karen Mack
3 books33 followersKaren Mack, a former attorney, is a Golden Globe Award-winning film and television producer. She has co-authored three books with Jennifer Kaufman: most recently, Freud's Mistress, which received four stars from People and was on USA Today, Vanity Fair, and Marie Claire's best summer reading list for 2013; Literacy and Longing in L.A., which reached #1 on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller List and won the Best Fiction Award from the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association; and the Los Angeles Times bestselling novel, A Version of the Truth. Karen lives in Los Angeles with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 558 reviews
June 30, 2019
I will start off this review by noting two things, first, it's pretty weird reading a historical (romance) with Freud as the man in the leading role and secondly, Freud is a bit of an ashole. Now, the picture I have in my head is of the older Freud, but he is quite young in this book, but I still had a hard time seeing The Father of Psychoanalysis seducing his sisters-in-law.
However, despite that was this book quite good. I liked getting a closer look into Freud's own marriage and his close relationship with Minna. It's not proven that they had an affair although there is some documented evidence of it. Still, it was fascinating to read this book, not just for the romance between Freud and Minna, but for the historical setting and how hard it is for Freud to win favor for his ideas.
It's also interesting to read how Freud seems to be obsessed with a person for a time and then move on. At one point is it Minna that captivated him, and in the next moment is there someone else and it's not always sexually, he just finds someone ideas utterly captivating. I do feel sorry for Minna, but then again, the woman that should have most sympathy is Martha. But, she seems to know her husband quite well by then and doesn't seem to care so much about his for the moment passion for Minna. As I wrote above, Freud is an ashole!
Anyway, I quite liked this book, and if you like historical fiction do I recommend this book warmly!
However, despite that was this book quite good. I liked getting a closer look into Freud's own marriage and his close relationship with Minna. It's not proven that they had an affair although there is some documented evidence of it. Still, it was fascinating to read this book, not just for the romance between Freud and Minna, but for the historical setting and how hard it is for Freud to win favor for his ideas.
It's also interesting to read how Freud seems to be obsessed with a person for a time and then move on. At one point is it Minna that captivated him, and in the next moment is there someone else and it's not always sexually, he just finds someone ideas utterly captivating. I do feel sorry for Minna, but then again, the woman that should have most sympathy is Martha. But, she seems to know her husband quite well by then and doesn't seem to care so much about his for the moment passion for Minna. As I wrote above, Freud is an ashole!
Anyway, I quite liked this book, and if you like historical fiction do I recommend this book warmly!
February 6, 2016
A avut într-adevăr Sigmund Freud o amantă, iar aceasta a fost nimeni alta decât Minna Bernays, sora propriei soţii?
Printre cei care dau drept sigur acest lucru se numără Carl Gustav Jung, discipolul elveţian şi, mai târziu, inamicul declarat al profesorului Freud. Apropiații precum și unii biografi au respins însă vehement cele susţinute de Jung, afirmând că Freud a avut întotdeauna o viaţă de familie exemplară, şi-a iubit mult soţia și a fost un monogam convins.
Minna Bernays şi-a pierdut în 1886 logodnicul şi nu s-a mai căsătorit niciodată. Timp de peste 42 de ani a locuit împreună cu Freud şi sora ei Martha, pe care a ajutat-o să-şi crească cei șase copiii. Biografii lui Freud admit că, deşi profesorul era îndrăgostit de soția sa, s-a simţit mereu atras și de sora ei, o femeie erudită, extrem de inteligentă şi spirituală și foarte interesată de preocupările lui profesionale.
Cu toate că autoarele susțin că au efectuat propriile demersuri pentru investigarea realității, nu vei fi lămurit care a fost adevărul nici după ce vei fi citit această carte, ale cărei valenţe ficţionale sunt destul de vizibile.
Chiar dacă detractorii şi o parte din biografi susţin realitatea relaţiei sale cu Minna, iar cealaltă tabăra o neagă cu desăvârșire, rămâne să îți pui întrebarea: dacă Freud ar fi fost într-adevăr un monogam convins, ce anume l-a făcut să devină atât de obsedat de teribilele sale concluzii cvasi-sexuale, care l-au transformat în ceea ce noi numim azi "părintele psihanalizei"?
Printre cei care dau drept sigur acest lucru se numără Carl Gustav Jung, discipolul elveţian şi, mai târziu, inamicul declarat al profesorului Freud. Apropiații precum și unii biografi au respins însă vehement cele susţinute de Jung, afirmând că Freud a avut întotdeauna o viaţă de familie exemplară, şi-a iubit mult soţia și a fost un monogam convins.
Minna Bernays şi-a pierdut în 1886 logodnicul şi nu s-a mai căsătorit niciodată. Timp de peste 42 de ani a locuit împreună cu Freud şi sora ei Martha, pe care a ajutat-o să-şi crească cei șase copiii. Biografii lui Freud admit că, deşi profesorul era îndrăgostit de soția sa, s-a simţit mereu atras și de sora ei, o femeie erudită, extrem de inteligentă şi spirituală și foarte interesată de preocupările lui profesionale.
Cu toate că autoarele susțin că au efectuat propriile demersuri pentru investigarea realității, nu vei fi lămurit care a fost adevărul nici după ce vei fi citit această carte, ale cărei valenţe ficţionale sunt destul de vizibile.
Chiar dacă detractorii şi o parte din biografi susţin realitatea relaţiei sale cu Minna, iar cealaltă tabăra o neagă cu desăvârșire, rămâne să îți pui întrebarea: dacă Freud ar fi fost într-adevăr un monogam convins, ce anume l-a făcut să devină atât de obsedat de teribilele sale concluzii cvasi-sexuale, care l-au transformat în ceea ce noi numim azi "părintele psihanalizei"?
July 10, 2013
I received this book in a Goodreads give away.
Before I started reading FREUD'S MISTRESS I had to throw out everything I had stored in my mind about Sigmund Freud, and try to see him as a romantic figure. This was not an easy task let me tell you. Most of the images I had in my head were of him as a stern, sex obsessed, egotistical, cigar smoking, stick up his bum "gentleman" that had some pretty crazy theories on how the mind works. So it was not surprising that it took me a couple of attempts at reading it before something finally just clicked.
FREUD'S MISTRESS takes place in Vienna, starting in the year 1895 when Minna- Freud's sister-in law has been dismissed- yet again- from the household where she worked as a ladies companion. Out of desperation she moves in with her sister- Martha, Sigmund and their six children. At this point in Sigmund's life he is a struggling professor, and most of his peers baulk at his theories about sexual impulses. His wife Martha has long ago stopped feigning interest in his work. Minna is fascinated by it, and Freud is fascinated by her....for the moment.
Although my opinions of Freud haven't changed-His character wasn't able to win me over, but the book definitely did!
Before I started reading FREUD'S MISTRESS I had to throw out everything I had stored in my mind about Sigmund Freud, and try to see him as a romantic figure. This was not an easy task let me tell you. Most of the images I had in my head were of him as a stern, sex obsessed, egotistical, cigar smoking, stick up his bum "gentleman" that had some pretty crazy theories on how the mind works. So it was not surprising that it took me a couple of attempts at reading it before something finally just clicked.
FREUD'S MISTRESS takes place in Vienna, starting in the year 1895 when Minna- Freud's sister-in law has been dismissed- yet again- from the household where she worked as a ladies companion. Out of desperation she moves in with her sister- Martha, Sigmund and their six children. At this point in Sigmund's life he is a struggling professor, and most of his peers baulk at his theories about sexual impulses. His wife Martha has long ago stopped feigning interest in his work. Minna is fascinated by it, and Freud is fascinated by her....for the moment.
Although my opinions of Freud haven't changed-His character wasn't able to win me over, but the book definitely did!
July 25, 2017
I never had the chance to read something so beautifully made. Wasn't so sure about the informations inside the book, and went from skepticism to pure love. I really do reccomend this one.
October 23, 2018
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis; generally recognized as one of the most influential and authoritative thinkers of the 20th century.
Until the summer of 2006, an affair between Freud and his sister-in-law was seen as rumor. With new evidence, now it is accepted that it most likely had happened.
Despite the new evidence and the focal point of the story being an affair, what this book also brings is a glimpse of a man who dedicated his life to ‘psychoanalysis’ despite so much criticism during his life time. He studied, worked and read. He became world-famous scientist.
1895, Vienna. The story begins with Minna Bernays, who at almost 30 years old is let go from her position as a companion. She is an overeducated lady of her time. After many misfortunes, she learns to make her way in the world; not wanting to get married, the only option left to her is being lady’s companion or governess.
As she is let go again, she reminisces about her mother’s words: “You should talk less of Gounod operas and more of other subjects, or better yet, talk less in general. Most men don’t appreciate a bright wit, unless it’s their own.”
She moves in with her sister Martha and her family, husband Sigmund Freud and their six young children.
Minna quickly notices the arguments between the couple being mostly caused by her sister. Where her sister sees conflicts, Minna sees brilliance. She asks Sigmund if she could attend his lecture.
He joins her on her outings to take a break from a stifling situation at home.
As she attends his lecture she notices that his students are “drawn to his oddities, his contradictions, and (…) why didn’t she just say it? To his greatness.”
This change of life style surges her with optimism. But it doesn’t take her long to realize that she can’t accept his advances.
She gets a new position in Frankfurt, but he doesn’t let her go so easily. He finds ways for them to meet.
Personally, I do not like stories about affairs, but the interesting part is the glimpse of Sigmund Freud and his genius. His character and what they both had done are two dark things, which is not my place to judge.
Overall, it is a well-written story. There a couple slower moments, but not to a point where I wanted to put the book away. I still wanted to know how her story ends.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
Until the summer of 2006, an affair between Freud and his sister-in-law was seen as rumor. With new evidence, now it is accepted that it most likely had happened.
Despite the new evidence and the focal point of the story being an affair, what this book also brings is a glimpse of a man who dedicated his life to ‘psychoanalysis’ despite so much criticism during his life time. He studied, worked and read. He became world-famous scientist.
1895, Vienna. The story begins with Minna Bernays, who at almost 30 years old is let go from her position as a companion. She is an overeducated lady of her time. After many misfortunes, she learns to make her way in the world; not wanting to get married, the only option left to her is being lady’s companion or governess.
As she is let go again, she reminisces about her mother’s words: “You should talk less of Gounod operas and more of other subjects, or better yet, talk less in general. Most men don’t appreciate a bright wit, unless it’s their own.”
She moves in with her sister Martha and her family, husband Sigmund Freud and their six young children.
Minna quickly notices the arguments between the couple being mostly caused by her sister. Where her sister sees conflicts, Minna sees brilliance. She asks Sigmund if she could attend his lecture.
He joins her on her outings to take a break from a stifling situation at home.
As she attends his lecture she notices that his students are “drawn to his oddities, his contradictions, and (…) why didn’t she just say it? To his greatness.”
This change of life style surges her with optimism. But it doesn’t take her long to realize that she can’t accept his advances.
She gets a new position in Frankfurt, but he doesn’t let her go so easily. He finds ways for them to meet.
Personally, I do not like stories about affairs, but the interesting part is the glimpse of Sigmund Freud and his genius. His character and what they both had done are two dark things, which is not my place to judge.
Overall, it is a well-written story. There a couple slower moments, but not to a point where I wanted to put the book away. I still wanted to know how her story ends.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
July 17, 2013
Very little is known about Minna Bernays, the other woman in Sigmund Freud’s household.
While she was speculated to have been his mistress, this controversial claim was dismissed by Freudian scholars.
All that changed during the summer of 2006.
A German sociologist discovered proof that Sigmund Freud and Minna Bernays had spent two weeks in August 1898 at a fashionable resort in Switzerland. An old ledger clearly showed that they occupied Room 11 on the third floor.
In Freud’s Mistress, authors Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman present a fictionalized account of that affair. Using Freud’s biographies, letters and scholarly texts as source material, the authors succeed in creating a corset-ripper set in Victoria-era Vienna.
Over-educated and often underemployed, Minna is abruptly fired and finds herself practically destitute and out of options. In desperation, she writes her sister Martha and asks for help.
Determined to stay only for a short while, Minna looks forward to the “uncomplicated and intellectual” relationship she had previously enjoyed with her brother-in-law. But she quickly discovers that “the Freud she had known for years had transformed into someone else.”
As their lively late-night chats become more intimate, Minna finds herself torn between an explosive love affair and loyalty to Martha. She also has to deal with Sigmund’s mercurial moods. It was shocking to read just how aloof and dismissive he could be.
More devastating was the effect on Minna: “The distress of his cold shoulder was constant. It took away her appetite and her ability to appreciate anything. Sometimes she would feel it throbbing in her neck and traveling down her arm. Other times, she clenched her teeth so hard she gave herself a migraine. Even reading was no respite. It could be her imagination, but more often than not, she worried that perhaps he was tiring of her.”
Eventually, the sexual side of the relationship wanes, but Minna, Martha and Sigmund continue to share a household until Sigmund’s death in 1939. Unbelievable by modern standards, but an intelligent single woman of that era had very few other options.
An excellent read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
While she was speculated to have been his mistress, this controversial claim was dismissed by Freudian scholars.
All that changed during the summer of 2006.
A German sociologist discovered proof that Sigmund Freud and Minna Bernays had spent two weeks in August 1898 at a fashionable resort in Switzerland. An old ledger clearly showed that they occupied Room 11 on the third floor.
In Freud’s Mistress, authors Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman present a fictionalized account of that affair. Using Freud’s biographies, letters and scholarly texts as source material, the authors succeed in creating a corset-ripper set in Victoria-era Vienna.
Over-educated and often underemployed, Minna is abruptly fired and finds herself practically destitute and out of options. In desperation, she writes her sister Martha and asks for help.
Determined to stay only for a short while, Minna looks forward to the “uncomplicated and intellectual” relationship she had previously enjoyed with her brother-in-law. But she quickly discovers that “the Freud she had known for years had transformed into someone else.”
As their lively late-night chats become more intimate, Minna finds herself torn between an explosive love affair and loyalty to Martha. She also has to deal with Sigmund’s mercurial moods. It was shocking to read just how aloof and dismissive he could be.
More devastating was the effect on Minna: “The distress of his cold shoulder was constant. It took away her appetite and her ability to appreciate anything. Sometimes she would feel it throbbing in her neck and traveling down her arm. Other times, she clenched her teeth so hard she gave herself a migraine. Even reading was no respite. It could be her imagination, but more often than not, she worried that perhaps he was tiring of her.”
Eventually, the sexual side of the relationship wanes, but Minna, Martha and Sigmund continue to share a household until Sigmund’s death in 1939. Unbelievable by modern standards, but an intelligent single woman of that era had very few other options.
An excellent read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
June 21, 2013
Freud has never been one of my favorite people from history; while I respect his genius in discovering the subconscious mind, conversion, and talk therapy, I never thought a lot of him as a person. He seemed egotistical and argumentative, dropping associates if they disagreed with him. All images I saw were of him as an older man, already bald, smoking a cigar. I knew nothing about his personal life. This historical novel shows us a younger man, one who could be charming when he wished to be. Sadly, he didn’t often wish to be.
The novel is told from the POV of Minna Bernays, sister to Martha Bernays, Sigmund Freud’s wife. Minna had spent her days working variously as governess or ladies companion; when she loses her job and knows she will get no good recommendation she goes to her sister’s house to stay for awhile. While she fears she’s a financial burden, both the Freud’s assure her she’s not, especially as she takes over the care of the six children for Martha, who was still recovering from the birth of her last child. It was at this time that the intellectual Minna became close to Sigmund, who seemed to respect and value her opinions, talking with her in his home office late into the night- something he did not do with is wife, who he treated as a servant. Minna becomes enamored of Sigmund, on both mental and physical levels. With Martha either in bed in pain or busy with errands and housework all the time, it is easy to see how an affair could start even in these close quarters. Minna tries, unsuccessfully, to leave, but Sigmund soon brings her back, with her sister’s blessing.
Not much is known about the real life Minna, but in the late 19th century, women didn’t have many choices in life. Women of Minna’s class would either marry or become a ladies companion or a governess, those offices which place the woman in the no-woman’s land of not being ‘good enough’ to be family but being ‘too genteel’ to be a true servant, leaving the woman with few, if any, people to associate freely with. Minna would have most likely have been lonely before she came to live with the Freuds, having had neither affection nor intellectual stimulation from her former employers. Perhaps this would have led her to fall for the first person to ask her opinion on something other than knitting or the ABCs? Or perhaps Sigmund was just that magnetic when he wished to charm someone- he’d charmed many before Minna, and would go on to charm many more, as friends, associates, and, presumably, lovers, before they disagreed with him or he got bored. The authors state right out that there is no completely solid proof Minna and Sigmund had a sexual relationship, but it was rumored during their lives and in 2006 proof was found in a resort hotel register that they had stayed there for several days as husband and wife. In those days, no upper class person would have done that just to avoid springing for a second hotel room!
In some ways, I found the story wonderful. The authors evoked fin-de-siecle Vienna in sights, sounds, smells and flavors; reading the book is an immersive experience. Minna’s life at the Freud’s feels claustrophobic; I could feel her confusion as she tried to figure out the right thing to do. But the book drags in places. I’m sure that the affair is something that Minna would have agonized over, but so many words were devoted to that agonizing that it became tedious. I think the book would have been better had it been a bit shorter. I enjoyed the ending and their version of what Martha might have thought about the whole thing.
Sadly, my opinion of Sigmund Freud as a human being didn’t improve- it actually got worse.
The novel is told from the POV of Minna Bernays, sister to Martha Bernays, Sigmund Freud’s wife. Minna had spent her days working variously as governess or ladies companion; when she loses her job and knows she will get no good recommendation she goes to her sister’s house to stay for awhile. While she fears she’s a financial burden, both the Freud’s assure her she’s not, especially as she takes over the care of the six children for Martha, who was still recovering from the birth of her last child. It was at this time that the intellectual Minna became close to Sigmund, who seemed to respect and value her opinions, talking with her in his home office late into the night- something he did not do with is wife, who he treated as a servant. Minna becomes enamored of Sigmund, on both mental and physical levels. With Martha either in bed in pain or busy with errands and housework all the time, it is easy to see how an affair could start even in these close quarters. Minna tries, unsuccessfully, to leave, but Sigmund soon brings her back, with her sister’s blessing.
Not much is known about the real life Minna, but in the late 19th century, women didn’t have many choices in life. Women of Minna’s class would either marry or become a ladies companion or a governess, those offices which place the woman in the no-woman’s land of not being ‘good enough’ to be family but being ‘too genteel’ to be a true servant, leaving the woman with few, if any, people to associate freely with. Minna would have most likely have been lonely before she came to live with the Freuds, having had neither affection nor intellectual stimulation from her former employers. Perhaps this would have led her to fall for the first person to ask her opinion on something other than knitting or the ABCs? Or perhaps Sigmund was just that magnetic when he wished to charm someone- he’d charmed many before Minna, and would go on to charm many more, as friends, associates, and, presumably, lovers, before they disagreed with him or he got bored. The authors state right out that there is no completely solid proof Minna and Sigmund had a sexual relationship, but it was rumored during their lives and in 2006 proof was found in a resort hotel register that they had stayed there for several days as husband and wife. In those days, no upper class person would have done that just to avoid springing for a second hotel room!
In some ways, I found the story wonderful. The authors evoked fin-de-siecle Vienna in sights, sounds, smells and flavors; reading the book is an immersive experience. Minna’s life at the Freud’s feels claustrophobic; I could feel her confusion as she tried to figure out the right thing to do. But the book drags in places. I’m sure that the affair is something that Minna would have agonized over, but so many words were devoted to that agonizing that it became tedious. I think the book would have been better had it been a bit shorter. I enjoyed the ending and their version of what Martha might have thought about the whole thing.
Sadly, my opinion of Sigmund Freud as a human being didn’t improve- it actually got worse.
February 10, 2018
4.5 stars. I really loved this!
Contemporary morals and ethics would have us believe that one never roots for the affair. And yet so many novels, films, and plays have great drama on this angle. I think about two examples, The Bridges of Madison County, and The Way We Were. There are probably countless others through history, but none spring to mind. But Freud's unfolding scandalous and revolutionary theory about the importance and undeniability of sexual drives and urges is the backdrop of this novel. Minna Bernays has a deep conflict because, Sigmund Freud is married to her sister, and she loves these children that are not hers. She is also deeply and undeniably in love with her brother in law, Sigmund Freud, who is in love with his work and unfolding theory of psychoanalysis and the Talking Cure. Freud is depicted as mercurial and sexualized, somewhat a shade of all of our current personality disorders. He is a tough man to love. But love him she does, despite everything that feels right and moral to her. Her conflict epitomizes his developing theory. Like with The Other Einstein, Minna is an intellectual, unlike her sister. And she regularly gets involved with questioning Freud on his theory and debating the arguments as they develop. She also reviews the criticisms, and the work of others including Breuer and Fliess. She is as dedicated to Sigmund as she is to her sister and the children.
I have been thinking a lot lately and especially through this book about the role of intellectual fulfillment in marriage. About how work husbands and wives so easily turn into affairs because of either shared experience or shared stimulation. Its also interesting to see how much Einstein and Freud relied on their various collaborators, and if collaborators are of different genders or share matching sexual orientations, how impossible it is not to fall in love. The example that immediately comes to mind is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Another example about how we root for the affair in this culture. And why do we do so? Because love is magic and a glue that cannot be explained, and there is a way, like with Minna and Sigmund, that one can understand how an attraction isn't just about sex - its about ideas, and connection, and emotional fulfillment. Does the question change if the wife is wonderful versus a dud? Like if the wife is Jennifer Aniston, vs Martha Freud, who let me tell you is at the height of unlikable and uninspired, and really fails to appreciate anything about her husband or sister for that matter... Are we less sympathetic?
I know I have seen this in my practice and general life. Where a marriage is failing because its not enough and one of the partners simply wants more. I have also seen affairs happen, or even a falling in love without an actual affair occur, within good marriages. And I have watched myself over and over again root for love, because love is the most powerful and healing thing, and it will always win. Sometimes that means fighting for the marriage over the affair. Sometimes not. But I rooted for Minna and Sigmund all the way through. Even if Sigmund could be mercurial and a total ass. Why? Because I believe in the power of love, and sometimes its truth is the only truth we know.
I thought it was a great read. Hit all the notes for me.
Contemporary morals and ethics would have us believe that one never roots for the affair. And yet so many novels, films, and plays have great drama on this angle. I think about two examples, The Bridges of Madison County, and The Way We Were. There are probably countless others through history, but none spring to mind. But Freud's unfolding scandalous and revolutionary theory about the importance and undeniability of sexual drives and urges is the backdrop of this novel. Minna Bernays has a deep conflict because, Sigmund Freud is married to her sister, and she loves these children that are not hers. She is also deeply and undeniably in love with her brother in law, Sigmund Freud, who is in love with his work and unfolding theory of psychoanalysis and the Talking Cure. Freud is depicted as mercurial and sexualized, somewhat a shade of all of our current personality disorders. He is a tough man to love. But love him she does, despite everything that feels right and moral to her. Her conflict epitomizes his developing theory. Like with The Other Einstein, Minna is an intellectual, unlike her sister. And she regularly gets involved with questioning Freud on his theory and debating the arguments as they develop. She also reviews the criticisms, and the work of others including Breuer and Fliess. She is as dedicated to Sigmund as she is to her sister and the children.
I have been thinking a lot lately and especially through this book about the role of intellectual fulfillment in marriage. About how work husbands and wives so easily turn into affairs because of either shared experience or shared stimulation. Its also interesting to see how much Einstein and Freud relied on their various collaborators, and if collaborators are of different genders or share matching sexual orientations, how impossible it is not to fall in love. The example that immediately comes to mind is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Another example about how we root for the affair in this culture. And why do we do so? Because love is magic and a glue that cannot be explained, and there is a way, like with Minna and Sigmund, that one can understand how an attraction isn't just about sex - its about ideas, and connection, and emotional fulfillment. Does the question change if the wife is wonderful versus a dud? Like if the wife is Jennifer Aniston, vs Martha Freud, who let me tell you is at the height of unlikable and uninspired, and really fails to appreciate anything about her husband or sister for that matter... Are we less sympathetic?
I know I have seen this in my practice and general life. Where a marriage is failing because its not enough and one of the partners simply wants more. I have also seen affairs happen, or even a falling in love without an actual affair occur, within good marriages. And I have watched myself over and over again root for love, because love is the most powerful and healing thing, and it will always win. Sometimes that means fighting for the marriage over the affair. Sometimes not. But I rooted for Minna and Sigmund all the way through. Even if Sigmund could be mercurial and a total ass. Why? Because I believe in the power of love, and sometimes its truth is the only truth we know.
I thought it was a great read. Hit all the notes for me.
July 20, 2013
Having previously read “Freud’s Sister” by Goce Smilevski (much recommended); I was instantly drawn to “Freud’s Mistress” by Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman. “Freud’s Mistress” portrays Minna Bernays, Freud’s sister-in-law and speculated lover (ahem Freud: you certainly your own issues!).
“Freud’s Mistress” instantly dives into a dramatic and compelling character of Minna and a plot which comes alive to the reader. There is an element of recognition and calmness; yet, one immediately wants to keep turning the pages from the onset. Minna is likable and familiar, but has enough mystery to carry the novel.
The ratio of history to fiction, plus the elements of romance, is expertly balanced without one overdoing the other. However, even though the historic settings are colorful and vivid; the time frame believability ebbs and flows. There are moments when “Freud’s Mistress” feels too modern which is mostly in terms of the dialogue/speaking style and the ways of thinking from the characters.
“Freud’s Mistress” also has some choppiness in regards to the flow of storytelling. There are sections when it is evident where the two authors were switching the writing back and forth a la, “Okay, it is your turn now!” This, along with the sometimes too modern phrases/sensibilities, can be distracting. Despite this complaint, the overall cohesiveness isn’t as bad as one would suspect from duel authors (one who is a television/film producer versus a writer).
The pace in “Freud’s Mistress” is simply delicious as it builds suspense while laying the story out with a steady growth. This results in a believable plot and characters that undergo ample arcs. Mack and Kaufman’s portrayal of Freud is also interesting, as he displays multiple layers and emerges as a man with complexities versus the stereotypical depictions in other novels.
For those readers antsy for some inclusion of Freud’s theories; Mack and Kaufman deliver with Freud and Minna participating in scientific conversations. Also appealing is the complete and utter irony of the basal fact that Freud may have had his sister-in-law as a mistress in the first place (most historians agree that this is fact).
The climax of “Freud’s Mistress” occurs at an unexpected point and is therefore unpredictable, in a sense. At this point, the novel increases in drama and pace without following the usual pattern of a romantic HF novel. Instead, “Freud’s Mistress” has deeper implications and storylines which ultimately follow the complications of the meshing of an emotional woman with a man who excuses his behaviors of adultery due to his theories on sexuality. Even if this wasn’t how it “really was”; it makes a meaningful novel.
Although some readers may not deem Minna’s behavior and inability to stop an affair with her brother-in-law likable; her actions make her realistic and understandable. Furthermore, most female readers will relate to her frustration and pain when Freud’s feelings begin to wane. Clearly, the female authors transpose feminine emotions well.
I would have liked Mack and Kaufman to offer more views on the anti-Semitic views which affected Freud in many ways during his lifetime but understandably, “Freud’s Mistress” is more about romance than politics.
The conclusion of “Freud’s Mistress” fictionalizes a real-life theory/rumor surrounding Freud and Minna which could be intriguing and absorbing but it instead falls flat and feels rushed. Regardless, the novel feels complete and solidly closed at the end.
Overall, “Freud’s Mistress” is a quick read but one which is written well, doesn’t feel too fluffy (it has ample research and historical accuracy), and will promote interest in both Minna Bernays and Freud. “Freud’s Mistress” is an enjoyable novel and is suggested for HF readers who enjoy hints of romance.
“Freud’s Mistress” instantly dives into a dramatic and compelling character of Minna and a plot which comes alive to the reader. There is an element of recognition and calmness; yet, one immediately wants to keep turning the pages from the onset. Minna is likable and familiar, but has enough mystery to carry the novel.
The ratio of history to fiction, plus the elements of romance, is expertly balanced without one overdoing the other. However, even though the historic settings are colorful and vivid; the time frame believability ebbs and flows. There are moments when “Freud’s Mistress” feels too modern which is mostly in terms of the dialogue/speaking style and the ways of thinking from the characters.
“Freud’s Mistress” also has some choppiness in regards to the flow of storytelling. There are sections when it is evident where the two authors were switching the writing back and forth a la, “Okay, it is your turn now!” This, along with the sometimes too modern phrases/sensibilities, can be distracting. Despite this complaint, the overall cohesiveness isn’t as bad as one would suspect from duel authors (one who is a television/film producer versus a writer).
The pace in “Freud’s Mistress” is simply delicious as it builds suspense while laying the story out with a steady growth. This results in a believable plot and characters that undergo ample arcs. Mack and Kaufman’s portrayal of Freud is also interesting, as he displays multiple layers and emerges as a man with complexities versus the stereotypical depictions in other novels.
For those readers antsy for some inclusion of Freud’s theories; Mack and Kaufman deliver with Freud and Minna participating in scientific conversations. Also appealing is the complete and utter irony of the basal fact that Freud may have had his sister-in-law as a mistress in the first place (most historians agree that this is fact).
The climax of “Freud’s Mistress” occurs at an unexpected point and is therefore unpredictable, in a sense. At this point, the novel increases in drama and pace without following the usual pattern of a romantic HF novel. Instead, “Freud’s Mistress” has deeper implications and storylines which ultimately follow the complications of the meshing of an emotional woman with a man who excuses his behaviors of adultery due to his theories on sexuality. Even if this wasn’t how it “really was”; it makes a meaningful novel.
Although some readers may not deem Minna’s behavior and inability to stop an affair with her brother-in-law likable; her actions make her realistic and understandable. Furthermore, most female readers will relate to her frustration and pain when Freud’s feelings begin to wane. Clearly, the female authors transpose feminine emotions well.
I would have liked Mack and Kaufman to offer more views on the anti-Semitic views which affected Freud in many ways during his lifetime but understandably, “Freud’s Mistress” is more about romance than politics.
The conclusion of “Freud’s Mistress” fictionalizes a real-life theory/rumor surrounding Freud and Minna which could be intriguing and absorbing but it instead falls flat and feels rushed. Regardless, the novel feels complete and solidly closed at the end.
Overall, “Freud’s Mistress” is a quick read but one which is written well, doesn’t feel too fluffy (it has ample research and historical accuracy), and will promote interest in both Minna Bernays and Freud. “Freud’s Mistress” is an enjoyable novel and is suggested for HF readers who enjoy hints of romance.
January 7, 2015
There's lots that's wrong with this book. It is an imagined exploration of the as yet unconclusive affair that Freud supposedly had with his brother's wife (ewwww) while she was living with them (for like forty years!). Many imagined retellings have the issue of being contrived piecemeal awkward non stories that are more a retroactive patchwork of research, plus they are often derailed with anachronistic writing - this book was guilty of this and more.
I for one did not know about this major blight on Freud's record (though, frankly, given his general outlook towards libido and its need to be expressed at all costs I guess I shouldn't have been surprised) but even with my little knowledge of Freud I could tell too easily where the book ended and the research began - the authors dipped readily into their 'this will need to go into the book, and so will this' and never strayed too far from that (all the while dealing with a premise that is circumspect).
Freud's love interest, Minna, is touted as being a 'fascinating figure' but I gotta tell you, I did not see that. What I did see was the authors' hands trying to convince me of her outstanding intellect and allure, but she just seemed like a puppet, placed in a book so as to draw out a premise that was just disturbing. You open a book titled Freud's Mistress and ok, you know you're going to be reading about his infidelity, but once you see his sister in law is the narrator (though even here the authors clumsily shift around as far as where the POV really lies - a rookie error that irks me) the onus is really on the writer to somehow make this woman a heroine, to somehow make her sympathetic - but she was wooden for the most part, overwhelmingly boring, and cast in way too convenient a light - Martha, the cuckolded sister, is over the top anxious and irritating, (though she DID allow her spinster sister to live with her for decades, even encouraging her to, but still, she TOTALLY deserves to have this happen) and her interactions with Freud just leave it wide open that he can and even should find love elsewhere.
There are many instances when language, as well as action, recall a more current time, and overall I just wasn't sure what the point was. Exploring a mysterious character? No, just getting a mixed up version of an imagined woman who never became a character of her own right. To evoke sympathy for the other woman? No not even remotely. To show that Freud was a childish jerk? Well, yes, that we got, but that only made it harder to fathom a woman betraying her sister for someone whose passions seemed to be rather transient and fueled by nothing more than ego.
Not a love story, not a fair peek into history, and not particularly interesting. I was able to finish it, so I give it two stars, and it did have some good writing (though come to think of it I now don't get the opening at all - minus half a star for that).
I for one did not know about this major blight on Freud's record (though, frankly, given his general outlook towards libido and its need to be expressed at all costs I guess I shouldn't have been surprised) but even with my little knowledge of Freud I could tell too easily where the book ended and the research began - the authors dipped readily into their 'this will need to go into the book, and so will this' and never strayed too far from that (all the while dealing with a premise that is circumspect).
Freud's love interest, Minna, is touted as being a 'fascinating figure' but I gotta tell you, I did not see that. What I did see was the authors' hands trying to convince me of her outstanding intellect and allure, but she just seemed like a puppet, placed in a book so as to draw out a premise that was just disturbing. You open a book titled Freud's Mistress and ok, you know you're going to be reading about his infidelity, but once you see his sister in law is the narrator (though even here the authors clumsily shift around as far as where the POV really lies - a rookie error that irks me) the onus is really on the writer to somehow make this woman a heroine, to somehow make her sympathetic - but she was wooden for the most part, overwhelmingly boring, and cast in way too convenient a light - Martha, the cuckolded sister, is over the top anxious and irritating, (though she DID allow her spinster sister to live with her for decades, even encouraging her to, but still, she TOTALLY deserves to have this happen) and her interactions with Freud just leave it wide open that he can and even should find love elsewhere.
There are many instances when language, as well as action, recall a more current time, and overall I just wasn't sure what the point was. Exploring a mysterious character? No, just getting a mixed up version of an imagined woman who never became a character of her own right. To evoke sympathy for the other woman? No not even remotely. To show that Freud was a childish jerk? Well, yes, that we got, but that only made it harder to fathom a woman betraying her sister for someone whose passions seemed to be rather transient and fueled by nothing more than ego.
Not a love story, not a fair peek into history, and not particularly interesting. I was able to finish it, so I give it two stars, and it did have some good writing (though come to think of it I now don't get the opening at all - minus half a star for that).
September 12, 2013
It is terribly hard to turn Sigmund Freud into a romantic character. It is a good think that Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman don't try to do that with their book Freud's Mistress. What they do remarkably well is show how his wife's sister came to be a huge part of his life as more than just a sister-in-law.
Minna is completely different from her sister Martha. She's younger and she's more interested Freud's work.
She's really a difficult person to like, but really the same could be said for both her sister and Sigmund.
What really surprised me was the amount of drug usage that went on in that time period. I knew about laudanum, but I never realized that near the turn of the century people casually used cocaine, as if it were a harmless substance. Of course, some of that could explain his theories in regards to psychoanalysis.
The authors let you in on his work through Minna, as she discusses his career with him. Most readers taking a psychology course know a bit about his work, and this book only helps me to firm my own theory that Freud was sex obsessed and had plenty of problems of his own.
Minna is drawn into that intellectual world and because of her interest, Freud takes a liking to her. It really is hard to imagine someone falling for their sibling's spouse, and at times, though Minna seems to show guilt, it doesn't quite stop her.
Did Martha know what was going on? The author's hint about it, though I wonder, would you keep your husband's mistress with you even if she were your sister?
By the end of the novel, though I can't say that I liked Minna any more than I did at the start of the novel, I can say that I felt truly sorry for her. If you read the author's notes, not much is really known about Minna, but she did live for 42 years with her sister and Freud, never marrying or having children of her own.
Her's is then, truly a sad story.
Minna is completely different from her sister Martha. She's younger and she's more interested Freud's work.
She's really a difficult person to like, but really the same could be said for both her sister and Sigmund.
What really surprised me was the amount of drug usage that went on in that time period. I knew about laudanum, but I never realized that near the turn of the century people casually used cocaine, as if it were a harmless substance. Of course, some of that could explain his theories in regards to psychoanalysis.
The authors let you in on his work through Minna, as she discusses his career with him. Most readers taking a psychology course know a bit about his work, and this book only helps me to firm my own theory that Freud was sex obsessed and had plenty of problems of his own.
Minna is drawn into that intellectual world and because of her interest, Freud takes a liking to her. It really is hard to imagine someone falling for their sibling's spouse, and at times, though Minna seems to show guilt, it doesn't quite stop her.
Did Martha know what was going on? The author's hint about it, though I wonder, would you keep your husband's mistress with you even if she were your sister?
By the end of the novel, though I can't say that I liked Minna any more than I did at the start of the novel, I can say that I felt truly sorry for her. If you read the author's notes, not much is really known about Minna, but she did live for 42 years with her sister and Freud, never marrying or having children of her own.
Her's is then, truly a sad story.
July 18, 2013
Stereotypes, not many layered personalities. Martha was chubby and Minna was slender, that's supposed to "say it all?" Very shallow interpretations. Since so little is known about Minna and Martha, I would have written Martha as more like Emma Jung, who shared her husband, Carl, with Tony Wolfe, was a very intelligent woman, and went into therapy herself. Minna traveled openly with SigF, everyone pretty much knew it. The Speilrein hype is just hype. In my opinion the Freud family settled into a very comfortable unit, a situation incredibly common in those days, and one that invariably included trysts from time to time in many families. This novel fails to capture the psyche of the early 20th Century, in any way at all. It appears to be channeling the wishful thinking of modern Feminism, projecting current neuroses and "triumphs" onto unsuspecting protagonists that never in this world existed.
November 6, 2018
μου αρεσε πολυ η απεικονηση της Βιεννης της δεκαετιας του 1890 πλαισιωμενη απο τις γνωστες πια θεωριες του φρόυντ
May 28, 2013
A richly imagined, historically based story
On every page Freud’s Mistress evokes the layered sights, sounds, fashions, and aromas of late 19th century Vienna, and that alone would have kept me reading, but I was drawn to the sensitively imagined story of two real sisters just as much. As it is for Jane Austen’s female characters, there are not a lot of life choices for Martha Freud and her sister Minna Bernays. Martha is financially comfortable, but she’s overwhelmed by the job of caring for her unruly children and stuck in a loveless marriage to Sigmund Freud, a man who doesn’t respect her and whose theories she finds repugnant. As an intelligent but unmarried woman Minna is forced to support herself as a governess or a ladies’ companion, a precarious life that puts her in an awkward, between castes position--not a master but not quite one of the servants either.
When principled insubordination causes Minna to lose both her job and living situation, Martha and Freud take her in, and Minna begins to care for and become attached to her many nieces and nephews. Minna doesn’t agree with all of Freud’s provocative new theories that put sexual disfunction at the root of every problem, but unlike her sister she is fascinated not repelled by his ideas and wants to discuss them. Her hunger to be a participant in the world of ideas sets the stage for the attraction between Minna and Freud--an attraction Minna resists since it would be a betrayal of her sister. Though Freud could be an unlikely love interest, self-centered and sometimes cruel, the excitement he stirs in in the minds of those around him make him believably charismatic.
I love the first two books by this author pair, and though Freud’s Mistress is a very different type of tale all three share intellectually rich stories, appealing settings, complex characterizations, and writing so beautiful it seems to glow. It makes me think there may be a benefit to having a writing partner because I found the same qualities in the Twisted Lit series by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes.
On every page Freud’s Mistress evokes the layered sights, sounds, fashions, and aromas of late 19th century Vienna, and that alone would have kept me reading, but I was drawn to the sensitively imagined story of two real sisters just as much. As it is for Jane Austen’s female characters, there are not a lot of life choices for Martha Freud and her sister Minna Bernays. Martha is financially comfortable, but she’s overwhelmed by the job of caring for her unruly children and stuck in a loveless marriage to Sigmund Freud, a man who doesn’t respect her and whose theories she finds repugnant. As an intelligent but unmarried woman Minna is forced to support herself as a governess or a ladies’ companion, a precarious life that puts her in an awkward, between castes position--not a master but not quite one of the servants either.
When principled insubordination causes Minna to lose both her job and living situation, Martha and Freud take her in, and Minna begins to care for and become attached to her many nieces and nephews. Minna doesn’t agree with all of Freud’s provocative new theories that put sexual disfunction at the root of every problem, but unlike her sister she is fascinated not repelled by his ideas and wants to discuss them. Her hunger to be a participant in the world of ideas sets the stage for the attraction between Minna and Freud--an attraction Minna resists since it would be a betrayal of her sister. Though Freud could be an unlikely love interest, self-centered and sometimes cruel, the excitement he stirs in in the minds of those around him make him believably charismatic.
I love the first two books by this author pair, and though Freud’s Mistress is a very different type of tale all three share intellectually rich stories, appealing settings, complex characterizations, and writing so beautiful it seems to glow. It makes me think there may be a benefit to having a writing partner because I found the same qualities in the Twisted Lit series by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes.
July 20, 2013
When I first realized two people authored this book I was a little concerned that a book written by two authors would feel like it was written by two authors. I was pleased and surprised by how fluid the writing was, I expected there to be an unevenness to it, but there wasn't.
While this is not the most flattering portrayal of Sigmund Freud, it certainly is a believable one. The authors depict the progression of his relationship with his sister in law, from proper to improper and then illicit. The way their relationship, may have, developed is laid out very realistically. The authors manage to portray these historical figures in a way that I was able to feel sympathy for them even while I disliked their choices.
I enjoyed the parallels between Freud's personal life and his theories and I thought his justification for his behavior was probably very close to the truth. I would have enjoyed reading what the authors might have written had they chosen to explore Freud's relationship with his parents more. But this novel focuses on a short period of time within Freud's life as it relates to his relationship with his sister-in-law, Minna Bernays.
This novel held my attention from beginning to end, I never felt that the story lagged. Somewhere along the way I saw this book being compared to "Loving Frank' by Nancy Horan and I can certainly see the similarities there, with the obvious theme they share being infidelity. But the other issues that are explored are those of societal expectations and women's roles and responsibilities.
I thought the authors created a compelling and interesting story but it was also a sad one. I think this would make a great book for a book club. Though I would caution potential readers to hold off on reading the authors' note and source material listed at the back of the book. I know it seems obvious, but learn from my mistakes, there are spoilers in there.
While this is not the most flattering portrayal of Sigmund Freud, it certainly is a believable one. The authors depict the progression of his relationship with his sister in law, from proper to improper and then illicit. The way their relationship, may have, developed is laid out very realistically. The authors manage to portray these historical figures in a way that I was able to feel sympathy for them even while I disliked their choices.
I enjoyed the parallels between Freud's personal life and his theories and I thought his justification for his behavior was probably very close to the truth. I would have enjoyed reading what the authors might have written had they chosen to explore Freud's relationship with his parents more. But this novel focuses on a short period of time within Freud's life as it relates to his relationship with his sister-in-law, Minna Bernays.
This novel held my attention from beginning to end, I never felt that the story lagged. Somewhere along the way I saw this book being compared to "Loving Frank' by Nancy Horan and I can certainly see the similarities there, with the obvious theme they share being infidelity. But the other issues that are explored are those of societal expectations and women's roles and responsibilities.
I thought the authors created a compelling and interesting story but it was also a sad one. I think this would make a great book for a book club. Though I would caution potential readers to hold off on reading the authors' note and source material listed at the back of the book. I know it seems obvious, but learn from my mistakes, there are spoilers in there.
July 15, 2013
I did some research on line while I was reading this book and the authors really have their historical facts in order. Be sure and read their thoughts at the end of the book. Drugs were thought of as being acceptable for many uses during this time period but it was still shocking to read about. Freud's ego was huge but his behavior is typical of that time period. I enjoyed this peak into the life of Dr. Freud and the women who had to put up with him.
September 18, 2013
Via http://onlectus.blogspot.com/2013/09/...
For many, including myself, it is difficult to think of Freud as a romantic character. Thanks to preconceived views of Freud (maybe?), I couldn’t connect with the romantic side of this story.
Did Freud really have an affair with his wife’s sister? Historians neither confirm it or deny it.
I have to say that the way Freud’s Mistress is written make Mack and Kaufman literary geniuses. The writing really is brilliant, the flow is impeccable, and the narration hypnotic. Maybe too hypnotic because I couldn’t help falling asleep.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I really didn’t find anything wrong in the story; its execution is just perfect. It’s just that everytime I read the book, my eyes wouldn’t stay open.
I have no particular interest in Freud’s life; I chose to read this book just because it is a book, and I read.
I think that my problem with the story was that I already knew where it was going (the affair), and I wasn’t interested enough in knowing how it got there because, despite the marvelous writing, there was no spark to keep me interested.
Btw, why is this compared to The Other Boleyn Girl (which I loved)? Do they think that historical fiction is all alike?
For many, including myself, it is difficult to think of Freud as a romantic character. Thanks to preconceived views of Freud (maybe?), I couldn’t connect with the romantic side of this story.
Did Freud really have an affair with his wife’s sister? Historians neither confirm it or deny it.
I have to say that the way Freud’s Mistress is written make Mack and Kaufman literary geniuses. The writing really is brilliant, the flow is impeccable, and the narration hypnotic. Maybe too hypnotic because I couldn’t help falling asleep.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I really didn’t find anything wrong in the story; its execution is just perfect. It’s just that everytime I read the book, my eyes wouldn’t stay open.
I have no particular interest in Freud’s life; I chose to read this book just because it is a book, and I read.
I think that my problem with the story was that I already knew where it was going (the affair), and I wasn’t interested enough in knowing how it got there because, despite the marvelous writing, there was no spark to keep me interested.
Btw, why is this compared to The Other Boleyn Girl (which I loved)? Do they think that historical fiction is all alike?
March 25, 2018
Una din cărțile care te poate ține până noaptea târziu, dacă-i permiți :) O poveste intrigantă despre pasiune, vină, adulter. Decât cei doi nu pot ști adevărul, nouă ne rămâne să ne bucurăm de un roman biografico-fictiv scris foarte bine și să ne întrebăm cum am proceda în locul eroilor.
P.S.: până la urmă, o simpatie ușoară pentru Martha, soția lui Freud, se trezește, chiar dacă pe parcurs își vine să-i întorci gâtul. Eroina mi s-a părut foarte calculată.
P.S.: până la urmă, o simpatie ușoară pentru Martha, soția lui Freud, se trezește, chiar dacă pe parcurs își vine să-i întorci gâtul. Eroina mi s-a părut foarte calculată.
January 7, 2017
Well-written and plotted. I liked seeing real world references in the story. Minna made the story, but I was still half mad at everyone throughout.
June 16, 2013
I received this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Freud is portrayed in exactly the way I imagined he would have been in real life- charismatic, brilliant, egotistical, and completely ignorant about women and relationships. It was very interesting to read about one of the world's most well known psychologists and witness him behave so predictably and stereotypically.
While Freud is one of the major characters, the protagonist of the story is Minna Bernays, Freud's sister-in-law. I found her easy to relate to- as a single unmarried woman struggling to find a purpose and socially acceptable niche in life, and therefore has to bounce back and forth between an unfortunate career as a lady's companion and mooching off her mother and sister. Despite being a sophisticated and well born lady, she has never wanted a husband due to her lifelong feelings for her brother-in-law. She remains a strong and admirable character until the very end.
All in all, this book was an excellent period piece with entertaining glimpses into the lives and times of the Freud household in the late nineteenth century. Even though the story is about Freud, the discussions of his scientific works are brief and easy to follow, making the story enjoyable for readers of all backgrounds.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Freud is portrayed in exactly the way I imagined he would have been in real life- charismatic, brilliant, egotistical, and completely ignorant about women and relationships. It was very interesting to read about one of the world's most well known psychologists and witness him behave so predictably and stereotypically.
While Freud is one of the major characters, the protagonist of the story is Minna Bernays, Freud's sister-in-law. I found her easy to relate to- as a single unmarried woman struggling to find a purpose and socially acceptable niche in life, and therefore has to bounce back and forth between an unfortunate career as a lady's companion and mooching off her mother and sister. Despite being a sophisticated and well born lady, she has never wanted a husband due to her lifelong feelings for her brother-in-law. She remains a strong and admirable character until the very end.
All in all, this book was an excellent period piece with entertaining glimpses into the lives and times of the Freud household in the late nineteenth century. Even though the story is about Freud, the discussions of his scientific works are brief and easy to follow, making the story enjoyable for readers of all backgrounds.
August 26, 2013
"He was an unhappy man, and unhappy men are dangerous." This line so aptly describes the situation that Minna Bernay's finds herself drawn into as imagined by Karen Mack. Minna is the sister-in-law of Sigmund Freud, the 'mythic father of psychoanalysis',and they were rumored to have had an affair. It wasn't until 2006 that the rumors were substantiated with the discovery that they had actually registered in a hotel as man and wife on August 13, 1898. Mack used letters between Sigmund and his close friend, Wilhelm Fliess, to give us insight into Freud's personality and thought processes which is fascinating. I wish there would have been an even deeper delving into the man's mind and ideas. His real wife Martha is someone who does not garner much sympathy but by the end of the book she does attain your respect. Here'a a bit of psychoanlysis for you attributed to Seneca, "Let the wickedness escape...for every guilty person is his own hangman." And with that, the novel is a good read.
July 10, 2013
I’d never given much thought to Sigmund Freud’s life before but I quickly became engrossed in this historical fiction account of a part of it. The authors’ did meticulous research in order to portray the people and times as they were. They took an often disputed idea that Freud had an affair with Minna, his wife Martha’s sister – and they ran with it. The story is totally believable and interesting. The characters came alive on the page and what could have read like a soap opera script, instead had an insight into the times and lives of these people. It was sad to see the limited choices women had. Minna was in a horrible situation – in love with her sister’s husband and no real alternatives for her future. The book leaves the reader with some questions that are impossible to answer but must remain speculation: did the affair last throughout their lives and did Martha know? I say yes on both counts.
April 25, 2020
3.5 stars. Very readable, and based at least in part on evidence that Freud had an affair with his wife's sister, but maybe too much of a bodice ripper to take seriously? I did enjoy it, despite myself.
June 25, 2014
Out of work and no where to go, Minna had no other recourse but to ask her sister to take her in.
Minna knew the household wouldn't be calm with six children and a household staff, but she managed. In fact, she managed very well. The children fell in love with her and so did her brother-in-law. Or did he really fall in love with her or was she simply a convenience?
Sigmund Freud betrayed his wife, and Minna betrayed her sister. The affair started out with early evening and some late night meetings that included flirting and drugs. Did his wife know about the affair or was she too addicted to opium to even notice?
You will definitely dislike Sigmund Freud as a person and question his thinking about why people develop psychological disorders. He was arrogant, a smooth operator, apparently quite good looking, and he used his field of study to his advantage. He was not a kind man especially to women, but he knew how to seduce Minna. He had no regard for his wife who had six children with him.
Minna, “the mistress," was actually likable because even though she knew she couldn't stop herself about wanting to be with Freud, she did feel guilty. It was funny to be reminded that women of that era were so set on only finding a husband and no career per say except as domestic help, a companion for another woman, or caring for children.
FREUD’S MISTRESS was enjoyable and very well written. The book flowed nicely, and you could actually visualize everything and feel the characters' emotions and moods because of Ms. Mack’s and Ms. Kaufman’s marvelous writing skills.
Some of the characters and some of the situations were comical. Love, infidelity, history, comedy, Freud's theories, and social issues were the main themes.
It is always interesting to look into the life of a famous person especially during the 1800's. If you like historical fiction, you should enjoy FREUD'S MISTRESS. 4/5
The ending notes from the authors that contained information about Sigmund Freud's life was quite interesting and helpful.
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
September 12, 2013
This book was slow to get started. The build up of whether they had feelings for one another and if the other felt the same seemed to take forever. Just as I was about to put the book down their relationship finally began to have some depth and advanced beyond speculation. From that point the book sped along to the finish. After the never ending angst of their wait to confess their feelings it was a sudden race to the end. This book was a wonderful starting point for a book but lacked in significant areas. Understandably there is little hard evidence to substantiate an affair between Freud and his sister-in-law but as a work of historical fiction I would think the authors could freely speculate. It would have been nice had they explored in more depth the dynamic of what knowledge was shared between the sisters. The relationship and subsequent lack of relationship between Freud and Minna. Even some more insight in to Freud and why he did what he did. The long focus on the build up to the relationship left little time to explore the motivation of those involved and as a result the book read much like a superficial TV plotline. Typical married man, typical empty promises, typical feelings of love mixed with guilt. There was far too much about this book that read "typical" for what I suspect was a far from typical relationship and family dynamic. I didn't dislike the book but was left feeling that there should have been more to it.
June 29, 2013
This is historical fiction with a capital F as it’s all based on little proof that Mrs. Freud’s sister ever had an affair with Dr. Freud. That said, the story depicted the women of the 1890’s very well: If you’re not married, you spend your days in pitiful boredom with little direction in life. Here we have Minna Bernay, the intelligent and interesting sister of Martha Freud, who is nothing more to Freud than the mother of his 6 children. Minna moves in with the Freuds to help care for the kids, and she has no interest in getting married -- her only interest is Freud. They go from intellectual companions to lovers in no time, and Martha seems clueless.
I especially enjoyed reading about the formulation of Freud’s and his associates’ outlandish theories, told in an understandable layman's language. The many sections where Minna obsessed about being a loyal sister, or being a horrible, cheating slut were a bit hard to stomach, but maybe that’s just me. 3.5 stars
I especially enjoyed reading about the formulation of Freud’s and his associates’ outlandish theories, told in an understandable layman's language. The many sections where Minna obsessed about being a loyal sister, or being a horrible, cheating slut were a bit hard to stomach, but maybe that’s just me. 3.5 stars
December 29, 2013
I really enjoyed this book-maybe because I was a psychology major. Enjoyable read and some true historical background. A recent article does think Freud did have an affair with his sister-in-law Minna. I enjoyed learning a little more about Freud, but it was more about a marriage, it's faults and the development of an affair. Freud, obviously an intellect, is married to Martha and has 6 children. Martha, obviously is overwhelmed with the 6 children and her focus is on the daily househould chores Minna, her sister comes along an is the opposite, book read,quizzical, and has no strings attached. Freud is intrigued of course by Minna, someone who will listen to his controversial sexual theories on everything, and so the affair begins. Sounds a little typical-but liked Minna's character and her struggles enough to keep me engaged in the book the entire time.
December 19, 2020
Доста слаба книжка! Фройд и Анти-Фройд за начинаещи или dummies с много секс и пури и много латински сентенции за псевдо тежест. Давам една звездичка за интересните битови детайли за лекарства и козметика. На всичкото отгоре преводът е просто пълен потрес. Гугъл сигурно щеше да се справи по-добре. Събирах си примери като “дезинтересиране” и “антипатична”, но върхът си остава превода на “aber natürlich“ с “но разбира се”.
maybe
March 6, 2014See where the blurb box says: For fans of The Paris Wife, Loving Frank, The Other Boleyn Girl and Shanghai Girls . . . a novel inspired by the true-life love affair between Sigmund Freud and his sister-in-law, Minna Bernays.
I hated the Paris Wife, Loving Frank (dreadful beyond words) etc, I still would like a tilt at this!
I hated the Paris Wife, Loving Frank (dreadful beyond words) etc, I still would like a tilt at this!
Want to read
May 29, 2013This book seems like it will be so interesting! I think I will have to hide this book from my daughter, so I can rad it first.
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