Sigmund Freud

by Richard Wollheim

This intellectual biography of Freud presents a fresh and thorough analysis of the whole body of his writings. Each of these is studied in its context, and their chronology is shown to be of great importance. The author demonstrates how Freud's exploratory and sometimes hesitant efforts to explain all that he discovered of mental abnormality are to be properly understood only in light of his quest for a general theory of the mind. This reissue contains a new Preface by Professor Wollheim that takes account of recent critical work on Freud.

Genres: Psychoanalysis, Psychology, Biography, Philosophy, Nonfiction

292 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Julio The Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I broke with Freud on penis envy. He thought it should be limited to women"---Woody Allen
Was Sigmund Freud a Debbie Downer? That's the conclusion of Richard Wollheim in this sizzling and controversial take on the master and his epigones. Wollheim aims to rescue Freud from those who mistake him for an optimist and liberator of man, a trend most pronounced by the likes of Herbert Marcuse (EROS AND CIVILIZATION) and counterculture guru Norman O. Brown (LIFE AGAINST DEATH, LOVE'S BODY). The real Freud detested most of humanity, "miserable rabble" was a common phrase on his lips, and thought of psychoanalysis as a palliative, not a panacea. Neither sexual liberation nor freeing mankind from capitalist exploitation could or would release humans from bondage to their own emotions, no matter how destructive. It is precisely because reason is all-powerful that human beings resist being rational. This explains their attachment to war and religion, among other horrors. The reader puts away Wollheim not feeling sunny but grateful he has restored Freud to his gloomy self and relieved he has not resorted to infantile optimism, unlike most self-proclaimed modern Freudians. A must-read.

[FiveBooks]

Psychoanalyst Dr David Bell has chosen to discuss Sigmund Freud by Richard Wollheim on FiveBooks as one of the top five on his subject - Psychoanalysis, saying that:

“…The Wollheim book on Freud was written as part of a series on Modern Masters and, unusually, they chose a philosopher to do Freud. This was remarkable, particularly in the British context, because Britain was not feeling particularly hospitable to Freud at that time, the early 1970s. It’s a short book and I always recommend it as an introduction to Freud because Wollheim brings an extremely philosophical mind to the subject and a mind that deeply understands psychoanalysis. He maps out the logical geography of Freud’s thought, including the early period leading up to the publication of The Interpretation of Dreams and the Studies on Hysteria, and he takes us through the model of the mind and into the broader reaches of Freud’s thought. …”

The full interview is available here: http://fivebooks.com/interviews/david...

[Paul Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to Freud - the work and the man but mainly the work. It is fairly short (just over 200 pages) but covers a lot of material in a clear and compelling style. It is not easy reading and it is mainly explanatory rather than discursive, but it does give an insight and sympathetic account of Freud's work.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

You could write a whole dissertation of what a tawdry, psychological anachronism he was. Thesis is done baby!!