Basic Freud

Freud is one of those authors (like Hegel or Marx) that has had a profound impact on 20th century (and 21st century) life, but that is basically unreadable. It is better to read a book about Freud that to wade into his works (especially if your interest in psychology does not rise to the level of becoming a psychologist). This book by Michael Kahn excellently explains Freud, his works, and his theories without getting bogged down with technical jargon or textbook-style language. Kahn's succinctness and clarity made reading this book a joy. If you want to read one book only about Freud and his theories, this is it!

For an easy to read basic overview of psychoanalytic thought, I highly recommend Michael Kahn's Basic Freud. Basic Freud describes many theories about the unconscious, psychosexual development, the Oedipus complex, the repetition compulsion, anxiety, defense mechanisms, guilt, dreams, grief, and transference. Mr. Kahn uses simple diction so the book is very easy to understand for those of us who aren't psychoanalysts. Mr. Kahn uses case studies from his own practice to help illustrate the aforementioned theories and how they play out in real life. By delving into the unconscious Freud discovered so many possibilities for why we are the way we are and why we act in certain ways. This book is so enlightening to read and eye opening to the ideas of Sigmund Freud and his theories on the unconscious.

Having read "Civilization and Its Discontents" in college but not getting a lot from it, I eagerly read Kahn's well-written and engaging book on Freud. He breaks down many of Freud's theories on sexuality, human development and parental relationships using examples from his own therapy practice, as well as notes from Freud himself. For anyone interested in the human psyche, I highly recommend this book.

I have heard it said that there were only 5 truly great minds: Newton, Copernicus, Darwin, Einstein and Freud. All of them, in some way said that we were the victims of invisible forces and circumstances. Newton said we had to succumb to invisible gravity, binding us with mathematical precision. Copernicus told us that we were not, sad to say, the center of the universe. Einstein said that there was no absolute frame of reference, that the passage of information is bound by the speed of light. Darwin said you were another monkey, get used to it. Freud answered in his own way the most important question of all: Why do we do things we do not want to do? In other words what were the forces that determined behavior. What he discovered was the most obscure place of all: the undiscovered and unexplored realm of the unconscious that shapes and commands us all. Modern therapy has tended to minimize his influence and ignore his contribution, but we all owe him great homage for creating the fundamental concept of all modern psychology, that we are victim to internal and largely unconscious forces. Read this wonderful book and learn a new appreciation for perhaps the greatest mind that ever lived.