Freud at 150

Going back to a time "before Freud" is as unimaginable as going back to "before Newton." Freud gave us the keys to a new dimension in the rational and scientific understanding of human beings, including when they act in the most irrational way. These keys have evolved and have been refined but we keep using them. But so far no alternative has emerged to convincingly challenge the set of understandings which we were given by Freud: namely, that each individual has an inner world; that the (often repressed) unconscious affects our well-being and our relations with others; that our psyches are not whole but divided into parts which are usually in conflict with each other; that humans tend toward certain forms of motivated irrationality of which they have little or no awareness; and that many of these insights also apply to culture, society and politics. Freud's insights were relevant for the political circumstances surrounding their creation. They are still relevant today when once again we have to deal with fundamentalist threats. -- Eva Nowotny, Austrian Ambassador to the United States
At a time in which psychoanalysis is viewed as in "crisis," following a long wave of revisionist Freud scholarship, and with the emergence of an entire discipline of "Freud Studies," it is significant that major psychoanalytic associations have joined together to reexamine Freud's legacy for the 21st century. This collection of studies by leading scholars and clinicians who represent diverse disciplines and traditions continues to raise questions and increase curiosity about Freud's ingenious creation, his legacy, and his relevance for our time. -- Lewis Aron, Ph.D., director, New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis; former president, Division of Psychoanal
the book provides a refreshing variety of topics and styles that offer something to the curious newcomer who knows little of Freud's life or work and also to the more experienced student of psychology interested in the most recent interpretations and applications of his work....[a] thoughtful and balanced volume... * Metapsychology Online *
Freud at 150: 21st Century Essays on a Man of Genius is the impressively informed and informative work arising from contributions by many psychotherapy professionals who collectively offer a modern outlook....Freud at 150 is an inspiring, gripping, insightful, and educational look at one of the great minds of the post. * Midwest Book Review, November 2008 *
The essays themselves make it clear that the impact of Freudian thought continues in our contemporary life. * Journal Of Clinical Psychiatry, August 2009 *
Freud's insights have lost nothing of their significance for our present time as was pointed out in many events organized in Austria and abroad in 2006 to honor the 150th anniversary of his birth. I was particularly intrigued by the Symposium "Freud's Place in Our Minds: A Day of Reflection on Sigmund Freud's Significance in the 21st Century," the contribution to the Freud celebrations by the four major U.S. psychoanalytic organizations. It is very gratifying that the excellent presentations have been published. I hope that this book will be inspiring for many readers as an effort to make "the voice of reason" heard. -- Heinz Fischer, Federal President of the Republic of Austria
Freud at 150 successfully represents a memorable event that brought together professionals from the four major American psychoanalytic organizations and beyond….Even the most well-versed Freud historian will learn something new from these distinguished presenters. The rarely seen pictures alone make it a worthy purchase. In closing, any person interested in Sigmund Freud or psychoanalysis will surely enjoy Freud at 150. * Division *