An Elementary Textbook of Psychoanalysis

by Charles Brenner

Book Overview

This standard introduction to psycho-analysis has been thoroughly revised to clarify and refine the concepts presented, and two new chapters have been added. Comprehensive and lucid, Dr. Brenner's volume is the indispensable orientation to the subject for both laymen and students.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385098847
• ISBN13: 9780385098847
• Release Date: April 1974
• Publisher: Anchor Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Clear, concise

Needed this book for a "Psychoanalytic approach to literature" class but was interested on the subject of psychoanalysis anyway. It provides good detail into the fundamentals of psychoanalytic theory. It isn't difficult to understand.

The BEST Introductory/Basic Book on Freudian Psychology

One of the hardest things I have done in my life has been to successfully teach myself Freudian psychology. Charles Brenner's book was the single MOST VALUABLE aide in enabling me to do that. I had purchased the 23 volume Collected Papers of Sigmund Freud from London, and I had studied Fenichel's textbook on Psychoanalysis, and I also studied numerous paperbacks on the subject - but Charles Brenner's concise and clear little book helped me assimilate the elemental concepts of Freudian psychology more effectively than ANY other resource. Charles Brenner was a Professor at Yale Medical School, and he likely taught this course over and over again. So, he may have learned how to perfect the presentation of this difficult and conceptual subject. As far as other reviewers' criticisms that Charles Brenner doesn't include post-Freudian material: I consider that criticism to be unjust. This book is a small PRIMER on the ELEMENTAL Freudian concepts - which should be learned before the more modern psychoanalytic info that came afterward. Maybe Charles Brenner's book would be better named at this time: An Elementary Textbook of FREUDIAN Psychology - that would help to clarify the content of this modestly sized book. I have recommended this supremely valuable little GEM of a book to numerous people as the VERY BEST book to try to teach oneself Freudian psychology. I am astonished that it hasn't received 5 star ratings across the board; and I am also astonished that this wonderful book has not received more ratings. Maybe not enough people are even aware that this book even exists.

The best introduction to psychoanalysis I've read

If you've ever wondered what "ego", "id", "projection", and all the other psychoanalytic vocabulary meant, and wanted a book which thoughtfully assumed you were a novice, this is it. Brenner writes in a very readable style, and assumes that the reader is new to the field, so he is clear and expressive in his development, but never insults the reader's intelligence. He also gives examples of the ideas he writes about, bringing them alive, rather than leaving them as theoretical constructs. If you want to go further into psychoanalysis, want to understand the theories for their relevance to literature, film and other arts, or just want to be conversant in an otherwise arcane lexicon, read this book.

An excellent indepth look at Psychoanalysis...

Are you having trouble understanding Psychoanalysis? This text may help. I wouldn't recommend this book to the lay person though. It contains some complex vocabulary that only most Psychologists understand. For begining graduate and some undergraduate students, this book covers all of the Freudian Theory (unconscious, dreams, etc.) for an intellectually stimulting time. The author also goes over some of the "hard times" that Frued's theories have undergone, and has some examples of the "Psuedo-scientific" approach to explaining affect and behaviors. Some good case examples to apply the Psychoanalytic Theory to clinical practice.