What do you think?
Rate this book
August
Originally published in 1983, this bestseller is a compelling portrait of a young woman's experience in psychotherapy.
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
82 people are currently reading
1045 people want to read
About the author
Judith Rossner
23 books70 followersJudith Perelman Rossner was an American novelist, best known for her 1975 novel Looking for Mr. Goodbar, which was inspired by the murder of Roseann Quinn and examined the underside of the seventies sexual liberation movement. Though Looking for Mr. Goodbar remained Rossner's best known and best selling work, she continued to write. Her most successful post-Goodbar novel was 1983's August, about the relationship between a troubled young woman and her psychoanalyst who has emotional troubles of her own.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 23, 2022
AGOSTO MESE DELL’ABBANDONO
Perché, anche se si era troppo intelligenti pe rinseguire il sogno della felicità per se, questo non significava che si era dispensati dal volerne un po’ per i propri pazienti.
Agosto è il mese in cui gli analisti vanno in ferie (per mia esperienza, di solito, cominciano a luglio e finiscono a settembre: ma tant'è, si sa che gli americani sono stakanovisti).
Insieme a interruzioni più brevi, quelle legate ad altre feste, come la pasqua e il natale, agosto è il mese nel lungo processo (senza fine?) della psicanalisi in cui paziente e analista devono scendere a patti col tempo.
L’Upper West Side di Manhattan, dove è ambientata gran parte del romanzo.
Rossner è un’esperta di menti in confusione, qui, come in Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Emmeline: ma questa volta la sua storia è dedicata proprio al rapporto e al posto dove i disordini si suppone riescano a essere corretti, o almeno arginati.
Con meticolosi dettagli, ci racconta i cinque anni di analisi di una bionda adolescente con la sua quarantenne terapeuta ebrea di Manhattan.
Nel corso ordinario delle cose sono due persone che non si sarebbero mai incrociate: ma siccome c’è poco di ordinario nel percorso analitico, e quindi, in queste pagine s’incontrano e compiono insieme un percorso, crescono e cambiano entrambe, segnandosi a vicenda con tracce indelebili.
Gli Hamptons, dove si trasferisce in agosto la dottoressa Shinefeld.
La giovane paziente si chiama Dawn (Alba). Quando arriva nello studio della dottoressa Lulu Shinefeld è appena uscita da quattro inutili anni di terapia con un analista uomo per il quale Dawn stravede. Ed è reduce da un brutto incidente d’auto e da un aborto: al principio, piange senza controllo, si addormenta senza preavviso, e vomita sul bel kilim dello studio di Lulu.
La sua storia è degna di un manuale freudiano: abbandonata a due anni, è stata cresciuta dalla sorella del padre insieme alla sua compagna, una coppia omosessuale che lei chiama rispettivamente papà e mamma; a scuola le insegnano che i papà vanno a lavorare e le mamme stanno a casa, ma in casa di Dawn è l’esatto contrario. Adesso la coppia ha divorziato, e, per reazione, Dawn ha già tentato il suicidio diverse volte prima di arrivare dalla dottoressa Shinefeld.
Più avanti scoprirà che suo padre, proprio come la zia che l’ha cresciuta, era un omosessuale – la madre, a sua volta, non voleva figli, e rimasta incinta di Dawn fu uccisa proprio dal trauma del parto.
Diane Keaton protagonista di “Looking for Mr Goodbar” di Richard Brooks, 1977, tratto dall’omonimo romanzo di Judith Rossner.
La dottoressa Shinefeld, a sua volta, non se la passa alla grande: divorziata di recente dal suo secondo marito, uno psicanalista che l’ha tradita con una quindicenne conosciuta in un delicatessen, Lulu è rimasta a vivere con i due bimbi avuti da questo matrimonio, mentre ha perso contatto con la figlia del primo matrimonio, che è scappata di casa e ha fatto perdere le sue tracce da quattro anni. Da segnalare che il primo marito lasciò Lulu proprio quando era incinta. A completare il quadro, è bene ricordare che la madre di Lulu è morta per un overdose di sonniferi e il padre era un alcolista.
Dopo cinque anni, quando si conclude l’analisi, Dawn è recuperata alla vita, ha 23 anni e sta per trasferirsi a Washington e sposarsi: le centinaia di ore passate nello studio di Lulu le hanno permesso di continuare a vivere e d’essere pronta per un nuovo inizio – senza la terapia non ce l’avrebbe fatta, sarebbe morta da tempo.
Anche la dottoressa ha recuperato aspetti del vivere che le mancavano, come una nuova relazione e in qualche modo il rapporto con la figlia scomparsa. Ci sarebbe riuscita anche senza incontrare Dawn? Rossner ci lascia nel dubbio.
Ancora Diane Keaton in quello che è stato il suo film più osé.
Gran parte della narrazione avviene attraverso i dialoghi, che riproducono fedelmente le conversazioni di quel genere di stanze, di quelle situazioni, con le esitazioni, le ripetizioni, i lapsus che manderebbero Freud in visibilio. Rossner è capace di rara autenticità i questi lunghi brani, al punto che non sembra proprio di essere dentro un romanzo, un racconto di finzione.
Facendo un confronto con Un paese di madri di A.M.Homes (si tratta di due scrittrici che raccontano entrambe un rapporto più o meno professionale tra psicoterapeuta donna matura e giovane paziente donna), e usando il sistema brevettato da Andy Luotto, Rossner 'buono', Homes 'no buono'.
Da leggere all'inizio di un percorso psicanalitico, proprio come ho fatto io, o quando l'analisi è ancora in fase calda trepida emozionante.
Sconsigliato ai pazienti incalliti, sconsigliato ai Woody Allen. E a chi non ha mai fatto psicanalisi, o non ha interesse per quel tipo di percorso.
Richard Gere, non ancora trentenne, è l’altro protagonista del film, subito prima di esplodere con suoi grandi successi (I giorni del cielo, American gigolo, Ufficiale e gentiluomo).
Perché, anche se si era troppo intelligenti pe rinseguire il sogno della felicità per se, questo non significava che si era dispensati dal volerne un po’ per i propri pazienti.
Agosto è il mese in cui gli analisti vanno in ferie (per mia esperienza, di solito, cominciano a luglio e finiscono a settembre: ma tant'è, si sa che gli americani sono stakanovisti).
Insieme a interruzioni più brevi, quelle legate ad altre feste, come la pasqua e il natale, agosto è il mese nel lungo processo (senza fine?) della psicanalisi in cui paziente e analista devono scendere a patti col tempo.
L’Upper West Side di Manhattan, dove è ambientata gran parte del romanzo.
Rossner è un’esperta di menti in confusione, qui, come in Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Emmeline: ma questa volta la sua storia è dedicata proprio al rapporto e al posto dove i disordini si suppone riescano a essere corretti, o almeno arginati.
Con meticolosi dettagli, ci racconta i cinque anni di analisi di una bionda adolescente con la sua quarantenne terapeuta ebrea di Manhattan.
Nel corso ordinario delle cose sono due persone che non si sarebbero mai incrociate: ma siccome c’è poco di ordinario nel percorso analitico, e quindi, in queste pagine s’incontrano e compiono insieme un percorso, crescono e cambiano entrambe, segnandosi a vicenda con tracce indelebili.
Gli Hamptons, dove si trasferisce in agosto la dottoressa Shinefeld.
La giovane paziente si chiama Dawn (Alba). Quando arriva nello studio della dottoressa Lulu Shinefeld è appena uscita da quattro inutili anni di terapia con un analista uomo per il quale Dawn stravede. Ed è reduce da un brutto incidente d’auto e da un aborto: al principio, piange senza controllo, si addormenta senza preavviso, e vomita sul bel kilim dello studio di Lulu.
La sua storia è degna di un manuale freudiano: abbandonata a due anni, è stata cresciuta dalla sorella del padre insieme alla sua compagna, una coppia omosessuale che lei chiama rispettivamente papà e mamma; a scuola le insegnano che i papà vanno a lavorare e le mamme stanno a casa, ma in casa di Dawn è l’esatto contrario. Adesso la coppia ha divorziato, e, per reazione, Dawn ha già tentato il suicidio diverse volte prima di arrivare dalla dottoressa Shinefeld.
Più avanti scoprirà che suo padre, proprio come la zia che l’ha cresciuta, era un omosessuale – la madre, a sua volta, non voleva figli, e rimasta incinta di Dawn fu uccisa proprio dal trauma del parto.
Diane Keaton protagonista di “Looking for Mr Goodbar” di Richard Brooks, 1977, tratto dall’omonimo romanzo di Judith Rossner.
La dottoressa Shinefeld, a sua volta, non se la passa alla grande: divorziata di recente dal suo secondo marito, uno psicanalista che l’ha tradita con una quindicenne conosciuta in un delicatessen, Lulu è rimasta a vivere con i due bimbi avuti da questo matrimonio, mentre ha perso contatto con la figlia del primo matrimonio, che è scappata di casa e ha fatto perdere le sue tracce da quattro anni. Da segnalare che il primo marito lasciò Lulu proprio quando era incinta. A completare il quadro, è bene ricordare che la madre di Lulu è morta per un overdose di sonniferi e il padre era un alcolista.
Dopo cinque anni, quando si conclude l’analisi, Dawn è recuperata alla vita, ha 23 anni e sta per trasferirsi a Washington e sposarsi: le centinaia di ore passate nello studio di Lulu le hanno permesso di continuare a vivere e d’essere pronta per un nuovo inizio – senza la terapia non ce l’avrebbe fatta, sarebbe morta da tempo.
Anche la dottoressa ha recuperato aspetti del vivere che le mancavano, come una nuova relazione e in qualche modo il rapporto con la figlia scomparsa. Ci sarebbe riuscita anche senza incontrare Dawn? Rossner ci lascia nel dubbio.
Ancora Diane Keaton in quello che è stato il suo film più osé.
Gran parte della narrazione avviene attraverso i dialoghi, che riproducono fedelmente le conversazioni di quel genere di stanze, di quelle situazioni, con le esitazioni, le ripetizioni, i lapsus che manderebbero Freud in visibilio. Rossner è capace di rara autenticità i questi lunghi brani, al punto che non sembra proprio di essere dentro un romanzo, un racconto di finzione.
Facendo un confronto con Un paese di madri di A.M.Homes (si tratta di due scrittrici che raccontano entrambe un rapporto più o meno professionale tra psicoterapeuta donna matura e giovane paziente donna), e usando il sistema brevettato da Andy Luotto, Rossner 'buono', Homes 'no buono'.
Da leggere all'inizio di un percorso psicanalitico, proprio come ho fatto io, o quando l'analisi è ancora in fase calda trepida emozionante.
Sconsigliato ai pazienti incalliti, sconsigliato ai Woody Allen. E a chi non ha mai fatto psicanalisi, o non ha interesse per quel tipo di percorso.
Richard Gere, non ancora trentenne, è l’altro protagonista del film, subito prima di esplodere con suoi grandi successi (I giorni del cielo, American gigolo, Ufficiale e gentiluomo).
January 16, 2011
This is one of the all-time, hands-down, best novels ever written about psychoanalysis. Dawn, a brilliant, artistic college student is still emotionally crippled and self-destructive after four years of treatment with an incompetent therapist when she’s referred to the office of Dr. Lulu Shinefeld, a 40-year-old Manhattanite, who’s own life is a chronicle of bad judgement and accommodation. Gradually, the women work together to uncover the mystery of Dawn’s disease. Dawn is haunted by her own artistic renderings, and her wild and terrifying associations but Lulu’s compassionate neutrality gives her the strength to go out into the world and find the people who hold the clues to her early life trauma. We hear about the death of her parents when she’s an infant, her subsequent unconventional parenting, the previous clueless shrink and her current string of lovers, but amazingly none of these turn out to be the culprit. Lulu’s adventures outside of the office show her humanity and vulnerability and helps us appreciate the baggage she has to carry (and ignore) when she sits in the analyst’s chair. The two women apply their arsenals to tackle the demons that keep Dawn from being able to function and over the five years of therapy both patient’s transference and clinician’s counter-transference evolve to ameliorate Dawn’s psychic pain. The analysis not only strengthens and heals Dawn, but edifies, in a triumphant denouement, both therapist and patient. August was written in the early 80’s, so ignore whatever irritating hackneyed concepts and dated rhetoric might impede the real suspense and wonder of the story. It’s unfortunately out of print but get it from a used book dealer or library (or borrow it from me).
May 5, 2020
"Gracias" al corona, al fin pude poner mis garras en este libro físico al que había mirado con curiosidad desde que era niña. Originalmente de mis papás, cuando me emancipé del hogar familiar me lo llevé conmigo, y desde ahí pasó todavía más años sentadito en el estante y mirándome con un aire levemente despectivo.
Qué puedo decir, es INTENSO. Aunque no eran taaantas páginas, se sintieron como miles. La letra chiquitita, aparte, el formato antiguo, es un libro de a principios de los '80 y se nota. Lo bueno es que, por esto mismo, la calidad de la edición y el empaste son buenas, y no se caen ni despegan las páginas. Los libros de ahora son muy rascas, jajaja.
En fin, que tuve que leerlo en muchas pero muchas cuotas, y el principio fue lo más difícil porque hay TANTOS personajes, que me costó que la cosa despegara, pero una vez que lo hizo... súper interesante. Un caso al que podríamos llamar realista en una terapia normal, porque además cubre años y años, y todos vienen con los cambios en cámara lenta que son los que en general suceden en nuestras vidas. Eso sí, a veces igual da risa la extravagancia de las cosas que le pasan a la que se hace terapia, que son tan entusiastas que llegan a ser surrealistas, pero me imagino que para hacer una historia interesante había que ponerle un poco de picante, así como en los programas de la Doctora Polo. Y me gustó mucho que, mientras se despliega la vida de la paciente, se hace lo mismo con su doctora. Me pareció muy humano.
Con el final lloré, con eso lo digo todo. Lágrimas gordas y calientes bajaron por mis mejillas. La vida a veces es así de hermosa, y también de cruel, en el sentido de que, cuando uno crece, inevitablemente va dejando cosas atrás. En este caso, la terapia. La gente común no se analiza para siempre jamás como hace Woody Allen aunque, para qué venimos con cosas, yo creo que muchos lo haríamos si pudiéramos.
¿Recomendado? No sé. Hay que tener mucha paciencia y mucho amor a la psicología. Y, en comparación con los libros actuales, es muy lento... pero a mí me gustó mucho. Me pareció muy pero que muy interesante.
Por otro lado, tampoco importa si quisiese recomendarlo y si alguien de aquí me escuchara al respecto, porque está descontinuado. Hoy solo puede encontrarse en bazares o en compraventas de libros usados, y en internet prácticamente no existe. De hecho, tuve que hacer investigaciones en google para poder agregarle una portada. La misma portada que tengo yo, dicho sea de paso. Probablemente sea la única edición en castellano, aunque según la descripción adjunta estuvo en la lista de best sellers durante semanas.
Qué puedo decir, es INTENSO. Aunque no eran taaantas páginas, se sintieron como miles. La letra chiquitita, aparte, el formato antiguo, es un libro de a principios de los '80 y se nota. Lo bueno es que, por esto mismo, la calidad de la edición y el empaste son buenas, y no se caen ni despegan las páginas. Los libros de ahora son muy rascas, jajaja.
En fin, que tuve que leerlo en muchas pero muchas cuotas, y el principio fue lo más difícil porque hay TANTOS personajes, que me costó que la cosa despegara, pero una vez que lo hizo... súper interesante. Un caso al que podríamos llamar realista en una terapia normal, porque además cubre años y años, y todos vienen con los cambios en cámara lenta que son los que en general suceden en nuestras vidas. Eso sí, a veces igual da risa la extravagancia de las cosas que le pasan a la que se hace terapia, que son tan entusiastas que llegan a ser surrealistas, pero me imagino que para hacer una historia interesante había que ponerle un poco de picante, así como en los programas de la Doctora Polo. Y me gustó mucho que, mientras se despliega la vida de la paciente, se hace lo mismo con su doctora. Me pareció muy humano.
Con el final lloré, con eso lo digo todo. Lágrimas gordas y calientes bajaron por mis mejillas. La vida a veces es así de hermosa, y también de cruel, en el sentido de que, cuando uno crece, inevitablemente va dejando cosas atrás. En este caso, la terapia. La gente común no se analiza para siempre jamás como hace Woody Allen aunque, para qué venimos con cosas, yo creo que muchos lo haríamos si pudiéramos.
¿Recomendado? No sé. Hay que tener mucha paciencia y mucho amor a la psicología. Y, en comparación con los libros actuales, es muy lento... pero a mí me gustó mucho. Me pareció muy pero que muy interesante.
Por otro lado, tampoco importa si quisiese recomendarlo y si alguien de aquí me escuchara al respecto, porque está descontinuado. Hoy solo puede encontrarse en bazares o en compraventas de libros usados, y en internet prácticamente no existe. De hecho, tuve que hacer investigaciones en google para poder agregarle una portada. La misma portada que tengo yo, dicho sea de paso. Probablemente sea la única edición en castellano, aunque según la descripción adjunta estuvo en la lista de best sellers durante semanas.
November 20, 2025
Amo a Judith Rossner desde que leí en la universidad Looking for Mister Goodbar.
February 14, 2009
I checked the copyright date on this one, because I felt like it had a very late 70s feel. I'm probably right; it was published in 1983. On the one hand, that made it feel rather cliched to me, but on the other hand, when viewed from an "it was an era" perspective, it was also rather interesting.
I felt sorry for Dawn the vast majority of the book, but at the same time I wanted to tell her, "ASK THE QUESTIONS!" I felt as if she would just man up and ask Vera (or anyone else) the questions that a normal inquisitive person would ask, she would be in a much better place. Of course, that's probably the point of the book.
Without spoiling, the whole vomit thing was ... fascinating (?) once the dots were connected.
This part was really well written and still true today. It makes me think that's partially why this book isn't totally irrelevant because of being so dated -- this writing is still "valid":
That might not make sense to anyone who hasn't read the book, but I really found it interesting.
One odd connection? This book reminded me somewhat of Man Walks into a Room. Not in a plagiarism way, but in a this character doesn't know much about themselves and doesn't seem to want to find out sort of way. It's an odd connection, but maybe others will see it too.
I felt sorry for Dawn the vast majority of the book, but at the same time I wanted to tell her, "ASK THE QUESTIONS!" I felt as if she would just man up and ask Vera (or anyone else) the questions that a normal inquisitive person would ask, she would be in a much better place. Of course, that's probably the point of the book.
Without spoiling, the whole vomit thing was ... fascinating (?) once the dots were connected.
This part was really well written and still true today. It makes me think that's partially why this book isn't totally irrelevant because of being so dated -- this writing is still "valid":
"... all the pleasures of my childhood came from this woman I've been avoiding like the plague."
"What kind of plague do you think you're avoiding?"
"Oh, God, I don't know ... the plague of women! It's not a conspiracey, it's a plague. I enjoy women more than I ever did but I'll tell you something, if that's what being a woman is, you can have it!"
"If what's what being a woman is?"
"Being sick and messed up! Being operated on! I know I've been through this before but ... Men don't get sick. Vera was never -- All right, Vera isn't a man, but she's like a man. And look at my mother and father. When someone's sick it's a woman. At least men don't talk about what they have, and it's nothing to do with being a man. They hurt themselves at work or they break a leg or they have a heart attack. Something connected to being human.
That might not make sense to anyone who hasn't read the book, but I really found it interesting.
One odd connection? This book reminded me somewhat of Man Walks into a Room. Not in a plagiarism way, but in a this character doesn't know much about themselves and doesn't seem to want to find out sort of way. It's an odd connection, but maybe others will see it too.
February 23, 2009
I forced myself to read at least 100 pages of this book, thinking surely I would get into it at some point because the premise of the analyst and her patient, Dawn, sounded interesting. Finally I acknowledged this just isn't my cup of tea, since I lose patience with all this talking in sessions that doesn't seem to have any point or relevance....
June 2, 2018
One of my favorite books of all time--I read it in my 20's and it made me want to go to psychotherapy.
April 25, 2011
Read this years ago. Cant remember much of it, but I remember I liked it.
June 14, 2023
Wonderful book. Cannot summarize it because it wouldn’t do it justice. It’s a 4 year deep dive into the life history’s and minds of two really complex characters (the patient and the therapist). I don’t know if i could read it again but it was really good.
December 22, 2023
Beetje langdradig, maar vermakelijk genoeg om uit te lezen. Wel interessant om inzicht te krijgen in wat psycho analyse inhoudt
October 29, 2021
You know you don't really like a book, if you feel you accomplished something just by finishing it. After wanting to read it for close to thirty years, I was quite disappointed. Rossner created the bestselling Looking For Mr. Goodbar in the 1970's, a book and movie I liked. It's an interesting read, but the therapy sessions, told in choppy language, are long and repetitious. Yet, the story of the therapist, Lulu Shinefeld--her marriages, her children, her convoluted road to a career in the 1960's-70's New York-- is written clearly, the characters filled out. The story of the young client, just entering her twenties, vibrant but very ill and self-sabotaging, may appeal more to young women who empathize with her. The unraveling of the mysterious source of her unhappiness and inability to function anchors the story. And yet it's revealed with not much suspense finally. I found the story of Dawn's present life, her string of selfish bf's--while managing to inch her way through Barnard College-banal, almost color by number.
November 21, 2016
Taking place before the Carter election of the 70s, there is a post women's lib/ feminist vibe. I like to be seasonal w/ my books, so I started this in the summer based on the title. As the seasons of my actual life would have it, I was ultimately using the therapy that was going on in this book as a surrogate for my own. I presumed the author was trying to run a parallel between the doctor & patient in their individual circumstances & kept waiting for the tie or at the very least, since the book journeys the beginning of the young blonde's therapy to its end, a tidy wrap-up. Much like my own circumstances, I find myself asking the same question at the conclusion of this book: "what's the point?" My friend Dave prefers the term "realization." Maybe that's what happened?
March 30, 2009
I thought that this book was just ok overall. Certain aspects of the main characters, Dawn and Dr. Shinefeld, really annoyed me. There were also parts of the book that I thought were downright boring. That said, I thought that it was interesting that the feel of the early 80s really came through in this book. I could just picture Dr. Shinefeld in a power suit. The struggle of being a woman and breaking societal roles was pervasive.
As far as Dawn's analysis goes, I was annoyed with her a good portion of the time. I just couldn't buy the idea that her life was so bad. She seemed lost in the way that many wealthy spoiled children are.
As far as Dawn's analysis goes, I was annoyed with her a good portion of the time. I just couldn't buy the idea that her life was so bad. She seemed lost in the way that many wealthy spoiled children are.
November 4, 2009
Wow, am I glad I grew up in the era of cognitive behavioral therapy instead of Freudian analysis! The story of a young woman and her female analyst was an interesting read, mainly to see how dated everything seemed. I never bothered to look at publication date and see if this was written in the era or was a painstakingly researched look at 1970s New York pop culture. However, the characters do grow and change emotionally, which is always a sign of an intelligent writer.
August 14, 2012
After reading "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and "Perfidia," I was really looking forward to reading this, but, alas, it is quite a slog. After 200 pages, I must take a well-deserved break. Neither one of these women is particularly interesting, and Dawn is one of the most irritating literary characters in history. I don't think I can stand to read "Dawn burst into tears" one more time. We know she bursts into tears, Ms. Rossner. She does it every few seconds, like breathing.
December 30, 2019
Dated, but fascinating, look into how those who help others are often struggling to help themselves. It is also a period piece on life in NYC in the 1970's for an elite group who can afford to leave the city and every August and vacation in Cape Cod while hobnobbing with other flawed professionals.
August 6, 2009
I couldn't really get into it. I got about halfway through, and I had to move on to another book. Maybe later I'll try to finish it, but it just moved way too slowly for me. I guess I'm just not into reading the back and forth between a doctor and her patient.
May 5, 2018
Did not care for this at all, I am surprised I managed to finish it. The details of therapy, even if they were true, were mundane and ridiculous.
February 12, 2021
The psychoanalyst Allen Wheelis says “No one becomes a psychoanalyst without worms gnawing at his soul.” I think this could also be true for patients who undergo an analysis.
For the better half of the book, I could identify with the anxious Dawn. Life, and the plot, has become a waiting for the crisis of August to pass. Though August itself is discussed by Dwan as a future event or a past one. August is a present only for the doctor.
I would be disappointed if the name Dawn was chosen randomly by the author. It suits the character perfectly; she is tired but too afraid to rest and lay down. Her life after the analysis is bright and beautiful which justifies why Sascha was so surprised to see her at the end of the novel.
I am disappointed at Lulu and the way she handled her personal crisis. I was wondering the whole time why she didn’t go for a third analysis?
I am not sure this is a book review. But if anyone is wondering what psychoanalysis is mostly about then they should read this novel.
For the better half of the book, I could identify with the anxious Dawn. Life, and the plot, has become a waiting for the crisis of August to pass. Though August itself is discussed by Dwan as a future event or a past one. August is a present only for the doctor.
I would be disappointed if the name Dawn was chosen randomly by the author. It suits the character perfectly; she is tired but too afraid to rest and lay down. Her life after the analysis is bright and beautiful which justifies why Sascha was so surprised to see her at the end of the novel.
I am disappointed at Lulu and the way she handled her personal crisis. I was wondering the whole time why she didn’t go for a third analysis?
I am not sure this is a book review. But if anyone is wondering what psychoanalysis is mostly about then they should read this novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2023
True story: when I was 20 I was deeply depressed and went to a therapist. She gave me this book and “Franny and Zoey” to read because she said she felt like I could relate to the main character. This I most definitely did not. I found these girls insufferable Mary Sues. But the truth is that I was very much like them, in the way that all pretty young depressed/traumatized people appear to other people. It’s very important to emphasize how much more important being thin was in pre-Millennial generations. Thin = Pretty. Thin = Good. Thin = Normal. In this book the worst thing that happens to her is she gains 20 llbs semi-deliberately. This is significant. (See : Two Girls Fat and Thin)
September 7, 2023
This novel explores the personal and profesional life of a Fruedian analyst and one of her patients. Although I found it to be an interesting novel, the personal life of the therapist showed her to be so poor at the handling of her own life that I despaired of her. I confess I never could see the point of taking years of therapy to help cope with immediate problems - there are certainly quicker and more effective methods - and this book cemented this feeling. The book, written forty tears ago, does a good jobof capturing the flavor of the times in NYC at the time.
March 29, 2025
Honestly, a really strange book. It took me a while to understand what it was, which is something like a psychological epic, and once I wrapped my head around that, I started enjoying it a lot more. There’s a lot of odd rants about odd things, but on the whole it was surprisingly well-written for a book that’s as unpopular as this, Rosner clearly has a lot of talent. I don’t know how much reread value it has, mostly do to some of the more uncomfortable segments, which is a real shame because I know I’m going to be thinking about it for quite some time.
October 30, 2022
Readers like me who are intrigued by the process of psychoanalysis, especially in the milieu of 1970s Manhattan, have a good chance of enjoying this book.
There is plenty of melodrama, made more enjoyable by analyzing all of it. You likely know if this is your thing. If not, you probably shouldn’t bother to pick it up.
There is plenty of melodrama, made more enjoyable by analyzing all of it. You likely know if this is your thing. If not, you probably shouldn’t bother to pick it up.
July 31, 2023
August é o mês em que a psicanaista faz férias. E Dawn, uma sua jovem paciente fica em pânico. É o começo de um romance que cobre a complexa relação entre analista e analizada, e suas vidas igualmente complicadas, no calor duma Nova Iorque meio deserta. O livro no entanto peca até certo ponto por ser longo e corre o risco de se tornar aborrecido para certos leitores (não foi o meu caso...)
June 9, 2025
I quite enjoyed this book although I think it could have been more succinct in some places. But, maybe that was on purpose, since people do tend to ramble during their therapy sessions and the therapist has to be able to pick out what’s important. Either way, it provides an interesting reflection on the impact that therapists have on their patients while also dealing with their own problems.
July 16, 2021
Author's Note: It would be useful to remember that the psychoanalysis which takes place within this novel bears approximately the resemblance to a real analysis that the novel bears to life.
May 4, 2023
I really wanted to like this book because I found another book of the writer amazing. I had to force myself to read this book to a certain point and this book didn't do it for me. I couldn't get through it, it was boring and I could not grasp what was going on.
May 30, 2023
Si bien tiene momentos en los cuales la lectura cuesta un poco más, está muy bien escrito y es interesante. De todas formas, solo lo recomiendo para quienes tengan nociones básicas de psicoanálisis. De lo contrario, la comprensión del argumento puede tener cierta complejidad.
June 10, 2024
I heard about this book from my friend and therapist of a story of New York when all the psychoanalysis leave the city, but at the heart of this story is about attachment, healing, and exploration of self. It was really refreshing to read a story that felt timeless in many ways.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews