The Psychology of Self Esteem

gaining a library for young adults

It took me many readings to fully comprehend the ideas and themes of this book. Since English is not my first language, and my first having nothing to do with Latin and Greek, the author is not to blame. Actually the book is very well written, is detailed and ideas follow logically. It is very hard to sound scientific and objective in a field notorious for subjectivity; nevertheless this is, in my opinion, as objective an analysis as one can get in the field. It may seem overly philosophical and difficult reading at first (definitely not Dr.Phil's style), but once you grasp the approach, it becomes a rewarding inner journey. The book's subject matter (Self-Esteem) is of enormous importance in individual psychology, and crucial for understanding the author's other works. A must read for all, highly recommended.

Part I consists of the philosophical concepts relevant to psychology. The central ideas, presented in their essentials, lay the foundation of Branden's approach, illustrated in Part II and all of his future work. Part II deals with the central theme of Branden's life work: self-esteem. His radical approach is in stark contrast the ideas of the time and to the self-proclaimed self-esteem proponents in recent years. His approach is reality oriented: Branden outlines the inescapable need for self-esteem, its source in reality and the consequence of the failure to live in accord with this need. The contrast between legitimate self-esteem and counterfeit self-esteem help to clarify and define this crucial concept. The book is, one the whole, theoretical and condensed. I am always amazed to find it shelved in the self-help section. This book should be read in conjunction with his latter works: The Disowned Self, The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem and The Art of Living Consciously. The journey will be rewarding.

The first few chapters present a clear picture of how the human mind works and why it makes sense for it to have evolved this way. The author develops his ideas further from this foundation. This book is one of my All-Time favourites and ranks way up there with Atlas Shrugged for the excitement it caused in me when confronted with fundamental philosophical and psychological truths.

This book is not just about self esteem but reveals the truest essence of psychological health. Slowly but surely the individual who already has moderate to high self esteem begins to experience a profound sense of self and personal empowerment by integrating the principles laid out by Dr. Branden. From a sense of self and life comes the formation of individuality and personal values. From these, the potential to actualize our deepest values. From this, the ability to discriminate the unreal from the true. From this the trust in our own minds. From this the ability to experience a universe that is open to us.