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Sigmund Freud: A Contemporary Introduction

Author(s) : Susan Sugarman

Reviews and Endorsements

Introducing Freud as theoretician, clinician, and astute social observer, Sugarman retrieves the brilliance so often buried by misreading and simplification. She manages in this distinguished short book to both describe and embody the sweeping scope and meticulous detail of Freudian thought. Underlining Freud’s quest for primary principles, she captures their elegant combining in his analysis of human nature and civilization. Showing the startling contemporary relevance of Freudian thought and technique, the book is a condensed treasure.
Shlomit Yadlin-Gadot, author of Truth Matters: Theory and Practice in Psychoanalysis and Lacanian Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud – A Contemporary Introduction is a real tour de force. Clear, succinct and informative, Sugarman touches on all the essential bases. Part One summarizes the main concepts and methods that underly Freud’s theory of mind. Here Sugarman structures her account around Freud’s pleasure principle. She returns to the principle throughout the book showing how it plays a motivating role in all of Freud’s explanations of human activity. Part Two explores the significant empirical payoff Freud’s theory of mind has when applied to solving 4 core problems that lie at the heart of his picture of the human condition. In each case, Sugarman adopts the wise strategy of focusing on what Freud has to say in a single book on the topic. This allows her to delve more deeply into his arguments and the empirical data he uses to support his explanations. The book also breaks new ground in pointing out that a number of mis-readings of central Freudian ideas have ill served actual psychoanalytic practice. As with her previous publications on Freud, Sugarman brings an impressive scholarship and unique voice to the discussions.
Robert Schwartz, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, U.S.