Simply Freud

by Stephen Frosh

“Frosh is the ideal guide on Freud—clear-eyed, cogent and compelling. An essential book.” —Anthony Elliott, Research Professor of Sociology & Dean of External Engagement, University of South Australia

Born into a Jewish family in the Moravian town of Freiberg, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) entered the University of Vienna at the age of 17 and began his medical career in 1882. Following an 1885 fellowship in Paris, during which he learned about the use of hypnosis to treat hysteria, he embarked on the incredible journey of discovery that would lead to the creation of the “talking cure” and, ultimately, a whole new way to think about human consciousness and experience.

In Simply Freud, Professor Stephen Frosh offers an engaging and accessible introduction to Freud and his major ideas, including the unconscious, sexual repression, free association, and the interpretation of dreams. At the same time, he reminds us that Freud was also a person—ambitious, conflicted, amorous, irritable, blind about some things, prophetically insightful about others. His personality shaped the way psychoanalysis developed, and Professor Frosh shows how the dreams he had, the jokes he told, and the patients he worked with all contributed to the formation of his landmark work.

With its vivid portrait of life in nineteenth-century Vienna—and the enormous social and political upheavals that provided the context for Freud’s work—Simply Freud is an invaluable overview of the life and times of the man whose revolutionary insights remain crucial for our understanding of central aspects of our world.Benefits of Reading Simply

Gain a deeper understanding of Freud and his major ideasExperience a captivating journey through Freud's life, dreams, jokes, and patientsDevelop a more profound grasp of the inner workings of human consciousness and experienceDiscover how Freud's insights remain crucial for our understanding of central aspects of our worldWhat’s Included in Simply

A detailed exploration of Freud's life and medical careerAn analysis of the use of hypnosis to treat hysteriaAn exploration of the unconscious, sexual repression, free association, and the interpretation of dreamsA vivid portrait of life in nineteenth-century ViennaDon't miss out on this essential book! Buy Simply Freud now before the price changes.

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2018

About the author

Stephen Frosh has worked at Birkbeck from 1979, first in the School of Psychology and since 2008 in the Department of Psychosocial Studies, of which he was a founding member and first Head of Department. From 1982 until 2000 he worked part time at Birkbeck and part time as a clinical psychologist in the NHS. Throughout the 1990s he was Consultant Clinical Psychologist and (from 1996) Vice Dean in the Child and Family Department of the Tavistock Clinic, London. His academic interests are in the applications of psychoanalysis to social issues; gender, culture and ‘race’; and psychosocial studies. He was Pro-Vice-Master of Birkbeck from 2003 to 2017, first with responsibility for Learning and Teaching, then for Research and then for Internationalisation

Reviews

[Paul Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable account of Freud's life and an excellent introduction to his work. I was given a copy of this book to review and found it an enjoyable read. Stephen Frosh writes well and is sympathetic to his subject without being uncritical. He covers the details of Freud's life in lively and engaging way, noting controversies and criticisms and citing well-respected authors on Freud (Peter Gay, Elisabeth Roudinesco, George Makari) to enrich his narrative and bring in different perspectives. The book does not claim to offer radical new perspectives on Freud nor does it push a particular perspective on psychoanalysis (as, for example, Adam Phillips does in Becoming Freud). Instead it focusses on introducing the reader to a complex and massively influential figure in a clear and balanced way - something it does very successfully.

[Charlie Parramore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book informative, entertaining and easy to read. It offers a concise biography of Freud in a short span and the reader gets a revealing overview of his tempestuous personality and how his theories of psychoanalysis evolved over his lifespan. This book humanizes Dr. Freud in a way that no other book I’ve read about him does. I was especially fascinated by the way Freud took pride in his Jewish heritage while simultaneously rejecting the religious aspects of it. It was also interesting how he appears to have lived a sexually conservative life in spite of how sex plays such a dominant roles in his theories. He appears to have been an industrious and brilliant scholar dedicated to refining his theories to the very end of his life. He was proud to a fault of them but also never fully satisfied and always striving to understand the human condition more fully. In this way, he lived a full and inspiring life.

This book serves as a good introductory primer to Freud and his theories. A person already well versed in Freudian theory and his biography would likely find it to be quite elementary but for someone who may be a newcomer to the subject, this book would likely serve to prime their curiosity to know more about the man and his work.