Freud: Conflict and Culture - by Michael Roth (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In Freud: Conflict and Culture, Michael S. Roth presents eithgteen essays on the man who has become, in W.H. Auden's phrase, "a whole climate of opinion."

This fascinating collections explores Freud's work, the absorption of his theories into mainstream culture, and his hotly contested legacy. Oliver Sacks demonstrates how Freud's early studies anticipated contemporary neuropsychology. Scholar Muriel Dimen reveals a paradoxical liaison between psychoanalysis and feminism. Art Spiegelman (Maus) provides a comic strip that explores Freud's ideas about humor. And Peter Kramer (Listening to Prozac) projects how future generations may look upon the man who, along with Marx, Darwin, and Einstein, shaped an era. By turns moving, contentious, and amusing, Freud: Conflict and Culture boasts a body of work as eclectic and engaging as the revolutionary genius himself.

From the Back Cover

Few figures have had as pervasive an impact on modern culture as Sigmund Freud. Despite recent triumphs in psychopharmacology and a decline in the practice of traditional analysis, Freud's theories continue to inform our perceptions -- from the simple slip of the tongue to our most pressing social concerns.

In Freud: Conflict and Culture, Michael S. Roth presents eighteen essays on the man who has become, in W. H. Auden's words, "a whole climate of opinion". This fascinating collection explores Freud's work, the absorption of his theories into mainstream culture, and the range of attitudes toward his approach to the mind. Oliver Sacks demonstrates how Freud's early studies anticipated contemporary neuropsychology. Scholar Muriel Dimen reveals a paradoxical liaison between psychoanalysis and feminism. Peter Kramer (Listening to Prozac) projects how future generations may look upon the man who, along with Marx, Darwin, and Einstein, shaped an era. And Art Spiegelman, creator of Maus, presents his own commentary. By turns moving, contentious, and amusing, Freud: Conflict and Culture boasts a body of work as eclectic and engaging as the revolutionary genius himself.

Review Quotes

"Accessible and engrossing....An exhilarating book to read." -Kansas City Star

"Each contribution is thoughtful, articulate, and informative....Provide[s]...a hearing to both sides of Freud's contested legacy." -Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"[A] multi-dimensional and fascinating viewof psychoanalysis and how its many tendrils still wind through our lives." --The Washington Times

About the Author

Michael S. Roth is Associate Director of the Getty Research Institute. He lives in Santa Monica, California.