Freud for Beginners

Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, began an intellectual revolution that would change forever the science of self-perception, interpersonal relationships, and whole theories of human behavior. His influence on 20th-century thinking and issues is arguably unparalleled, affecting attitudes on sex, religion, art, culture, and more. Freud for Beginners explains the doctor's dogma with wit and clarity, all in a contemporary context.Written for the layperson, this book is enlivened by classic comic-strip-style art, giving a distinctly pop twist to the presentation of Freud's theories. (For instance, the story of Oedipus is the subject of a conversation between Freud and a trenchcoat-wearing detective, who construes a somewhat scrambled analogy between the Greek youth and Chicago mobsters.) This guide tells Freud's life story and reviews his major works on dreams and sexuality. The book also takes a critical look at Freud's philosophical opponents (Jung, Wittgenstein, Adler, Eysenck, and Reich) and his modern-day heirs (Horney, Lacar, Winnicott, and Kristeva). The feminist perspective is explored in great detail, its values posing a radical challenge to the core of Freud's suppositions.Whether motivated by cerebral curiosity or a simple attempt to elevate their level of cocktail chatter, Freud for Beginners aims to educate readers of every generation who are interested in the ongoing history of psychoanalysis.