The Wisdom of the Ego

George Vaillant has put a life time of work into a 375 page book. It allows the reader to delve into the wonders of the psychoanalytical world. With a constant review of three cohorts he goes onto explain and give thorough examples of his theories. Despite the inconsistencies of the book and the constant contradictions, Vaillant is able to prove his point. The human psych is unstable and dependant on a level of maturity and development of the Ego.

Seldom does a book, written by a psychiatrist for scholarly and professional reasons, make so much sense and resonate so deeply. George Vaillant M.D., a brillant mind and a gifted researcher, culls his vast sea of knowledge about the inner workings of the psyche and has shows us therapists and lay people alike how to better understand ours'. Dr.Vaillant writes with wit , warmth and compassion. He makes complex psychoanalytic theories very accessible and relevant to our daily lives.This text is absolutley indispensible for the psychotherapy student, the curious lay reader or the seasoned cliniciain who seeks to deepen and expand his or her understanding of the soul .Having delighted in reading the book when it was first published, I find myself returning to it again and again for its wise and engaging commentary on being human.

This book is used as a basic text for an Abnormal Psychology class at Harvard. It is an easy read, very interesting and filled with information that makes sense.It takes a very humanizing view to Freud's defenses and shows how that be thought of as good things.