The Survival Papers: Anatomy of a Midlife Crisis

In those days, when midlife arrives and you feel somehow lost, this is one of the most helpfull tool; along with Dear Gladys, I have found Daryl Sharp's Survival Papers a great tool for life. This is a MUST have book.

Ten years ago I spent my last income tax rebate cheque on the complete works of Carl Gustav Jung - in hardcover, no less! I was out of work for the fourth time and had no prospects whatever. I was a good ten years late for the "Mid-Life Transition" as well . . . Having made this momentous decision to purchace some 40 books in the hope of making something of my obviously neurotic life, I panicked! Can you imagine seeing 40-odd, expensive books, strewn across the living-room carpet,and hearing my response of "What the hell have I done?"!Well, my long-suffering wife (yet!), who was in the book-trade at the time, brought home for me an edition of "THE SURVIVAL PAPERS" by Daryl Sharp, beautifully presented in a trade-paperback from Fulshams, U.K.Daryl Sharp gave me an amazing insight, not only into my caotic state, but also into the nature of the neurosis as a "Creative Illness". Added to this were a guided tour of the "way-out", and an astonishing introduction to the Complete Works of Carl Gustav Jung - together with fully-indexed-quotes from the "C.W.", as well as a most useful reading list at the end of each chapter, designed to introduce me to modern applications of Jungian (so called) thinking and experience - with wonderfully relevent insights into world-famous literary figures e.g. Rilke and Kafka, both of whom I had been reading at the time - synchronicity?The "Survival Papers" is, from my experience, an extraordinarily relevent read for those going through the Mid-life Transition; an highly accessable insight into the principles and experiences of psychic change, as well as a surprisingly disarming introduction to the world, person, and work, of Carl Gustav Jung.What a joy to read! What an entertainment! What learning so lighly worn! What experience shared so deftly, with such patience and good grace . . . Buy this excellent book. Read it. Apply it, as far as you are able, before you dare pass it on to those whom you think "NEED IT"!A word for Daryl Sharp.Thank you . . . Thank you . . . Thank you . . .A real Le Mot Juste! JOHN CAMPBELL.

Ten years ago I spent my last income tax rebate cheque on the complete works of Carl Gustav Jung - in hardcover, no less! I was out of work for the fourth time and had no prospects whatever. I was a good ten years late for the "Mid-Life Transition" as well . . . Having made this momentous decision to purchace some 40 books in the hope of making something of my obviously neurotic life, I panicked! Can you imagine seeing 40-odd, expensive books, strewn across the living-room carpet,and hearing my response of "What the hell have I done?"!Well, my long-suffering wife (yet!), who was in the book-trade at the time, brought home for me an edition of "THE SURVIVAL PAPERS" by Daryl Sharp, beautifully presented in a trade-paperback from Fulshams, U.K.Daryl Sharp gave me an amazing insight, not only into my caotic state, but also into the nature of the neurosis as a "Creative Illness". Added to this were a guided tour of the "way-out", and an astonishing introduction to the Complete Works of Carl Gustav Jung - together with fully-indexed-quotes from the "C.W.", as well as a most useful reading list at the end of each chapter, designed to introduce me to modern applications of Jungian (so called) thinking and experience - with wonderfully relevent insights into world-famous literary figures e.g. Rilke and Kafka, both of whom I had been reading at the time - synchronicity?The "Survival Papers" is, from my experience, an extraordinarily relevent read for those going through the Mid-life Transition; an highly accessable insight into the principles and experiences of psychic change, as well as a surprisingly disarming introduction to the world, person, and work, of Carl Gustav Jung.What a joy to read! What entertainment! What learning and experience worn so lighly, and shared so deftly . . . Buy this excellent book. Read it. Apply it as far as you are able before you dare pass it on to those whom you think "NEED IT"!A word for Daryl Sharp.Thank you . . . Thank you . . . Thank you . . .A real Le Mot Juste! JOHN CAMPBELL.

What I like about Jung and Jungians is that they seem to be able to write concise books that have far-reaching implications. I liked this book. It's subject matter, straight married man's mid-life crisis, is a bit removed from me, but the dance between inner life and outer life endlessly fascinates and the process applies to all of us ultimately. This book is refreshing in that the author/analyst is a full-blown character, not a detached observer like happens with works I've read by Clarrisa Pinkola Estes, Robert Bly, and Marion Woodman among others. Sharp doesn't try to advance Jung's theories, just lets them play out. Fair enough. Make sure you read through to the end.