Sigmund Freud

I am a Christian homeschooler of two young teens. I wanted to introduce Freud because he has been so important historically, but I am not interested in sorting through all his writings (or those about him) to weed out inappropriate content. When I happened on the book by Kathleen Krull I was very hopeful. I received my copy of Sigmund Freud this morning and finished it by the end of the day - it was that compelling. Krull does a standup job of presenting Freud as a human, both genious and flawed, without showing any perceptible slant. The book follows Freud from childhood through his fascinating life until death. Along the way the author ties in key historical events (such as World Wars I and II)people (Jung, Adler, Einstein, etc)and movements (anti-semitism, feminism) so that the reader can easily connect the historical dots. She treats the inflammatory topics with delicate honesty and doesn't dwell long in any one area. I would say the book is a perfect fit for middle school through adult, a great springboard for discussions and creating critical thinkers. I highly recommend parents read first if you don't already know about Freud. Enjoy!

Sigmund Freud wanted to be famous: he became a doctor and at one time traced the root of all problems - physical and emotional - to the nose. Despite his ironies, inconsistencies and nature, he still deserves as place as a 'giant of science' in this series, creating the field of psychoanalysis and inventing a new language to support it - and kids in middle grade levels assigned biography reports will find this a lively, fun and informative survey of Freud's life and times.

Sigmund Freud (known as "my golden Sigi" to his mother) wanted to be something great from a very young age. His goal was to make a name for himself, to be famous. However, he did not know exactly what he wanted to do until he began attending school. When he decided to go off to University, he thought that he would study law, and fight for those who needed proper defense. But he soon learned that his interests in medicine were greater than law, and turned his goals to discovering cures for the sick. Cures that would make one well again, restoring their health. After many years studying inside the musty hospital buildings, however, Sigmund realized that his dislike of blood would rule out anything specifically relating to surgery; but he found that his niche was in neurology. He found the brain fascinating, and longed to learn as much as he possibly could about the inner-workings of the mind. The more Signmund learned about the brain, the more curious he became regarding what triggered emotional breakdowns, and various other mind-related obstacles. Over the years, Sigmund created his own branch of medicine, a branch that is still practiced in today's society - psychoanalysis. As the years wore on, Signmund, who was dedicated to studying and hardwork, created a vocabulary all his own to accompany psychoanalysis. A vocabulary that explained exactly what an Id, Freudian Slip, Oedipus Complex, Ego, and more were. Though Sigmund's ideas were controversial during 19th-century Vienna, they still remain controversial in today's society. However, the controversy surrounding Freud's ideas has only made him more memorable in people's minds. As a Psychology major, I have spent years reading about Freud's work, and the Psychology textbooks he penned over the course of his career. The strange thing is that, while I know so much about Freud's creations, and work, I knew very little about him. Therefore, when I stumbled upon Kathleen Krull's GIANTS OF SCIENCE: SIGMUND FREUD, I instantly knew that I had to have it. From page one I was dragged into the Freud household, interested in learning as much as possible about this elusive, and oft-times reclusive, research-obsessed man who has brought psychoanalysis to life, and paved the way for would-be Psychologists the world over. Krull's descriptive, easy-to-understand language absorbs the reader like a sponge, and makes it impossible to put this book down. Covering Freud's life from birth to death, and everywhere in between; also including information regarding Freud's various works, novels written about the man, and websites about the Father of Psychoanalysis, Krull has put together an amazing piece of work that will interest all those interested in Psychology, and even garner fans who know little about the subject. Accompanied by the caricature-like sketch drawings of Boris Kulikov, GIANTS OF SCIENCE: SIGMUND FREUD will bring a little Psychologist out in everyone. Erika Sorocco Freelance Reviewer