3 Review(s)

Carl Gustav Jung first wanted to be an archaeologist. When family finances made this impossible, he pursued a medical degree from Basel University. Considering a specialization in surgery, he stumbled upon a psychiatry book--an event that changed the course of his life and ultimately the whole field of depth psychology. Anthony Storr looks at these and other telling facts about Jung's life in the opening chapter of this highly acclaimed book. Though fundamentally concerned with Jung's ideas, Storr's approach shows his conviction that in the realm of dynamic psychology it is impossible to separate ideas from the personality of the man in whom they occurred. His clear and concise review of the whole corpus of Jung's writings always keeps in sight the man behind the work, as each subsequent chapter concentrates on a particular Jungian concept, guiding the reader through the life and ideas of this great thinker. Storr investigates the major principles of analytical psychology, presenting such central concepts as the collective unconscious, the archetypes, the shadow, and the persona. He looks at Jung's religious turmoil and his inner need to reconcile the opposition between objectivity and subjectivity. He shows how his ideas follow a progression from the intellectual agitation that characterized the young psychologist to the advanced theories of balance and integration found in the mature man. Storr concludes his book with a look at psychotherapy, describing advances as well as problems involved in a practical consideration of Jungian techniques. Perhaps the most remarkable element of Jung is its illumination of complex concepts--concepts that had they been easily accessible in the original would have caused a wider appreciation of Jung's work. The clarity and order that Storr brings to light in Jung's psychology will come as a welcome surprise to those who have found him an obscure if provocative thinker. Storr's sensitive analysis makes the book compelling reading for everyone interested in Jung, and his clear exposition provides a superior introduction for newcomers, allowing the genius of Jung to appear for the widest possible audience. First published in 1973, this classic study is now available again. The Routledge edition includes a brief preface in which the author describes his previous work on Jung as well as his meeting with the great Swiss thinker.