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Although numerous biographies of Freud have already appeared, this monumental work (this volume is the first of three) is held to be the definitive one. It endeavors to give “the first complete picture of the personality and private life” of Freud, in contrast to previous works which are considered either personally biased or factually inaccurate. In it we are carried up to 1900, when Freud was forty-four, through his “formative” years, or roughly the point of transition from his physiological to his psychological orientation.
Any assessment of a biography of a controversial figure must take into consideration the author who is depicting, the person who is being depicted, and in the case of Freud, the work which has become synonymous with his name. The ideally objective biography would consist of the presentation of all the known facts, without any interpretative filling in or explanation of motives. Such objectivity is not only impossible, but in many ways not completely desirable. For instance, this presentation benefits from Ernest Jones’ technical talent as a writer, from his large experience and knowledge as a physician and psychiatrist, and from his long first-hand relationship with Freud as one of the last survivors of Freud's “inner circle” of co-workers. Thus, the book generally is written in a simple, discursive yet lucid style, except for those passages which must necessarily deal with technical, scientific descriptions; this makes for pleasant, easy reading.
Furthermore, the amount of research the author has done to obtain as much objective material as possible seems to have been tremendous. He has factually verified, on the spot, many hitherto loosely accepted or little-known details of Freud's life. He has consulted viva voce many authorities who knew Freud. He has had access to many of Freud's hitherto inaccessible letters—for instance, to his sister, his fiancee, his friend Fleiss and others.
The paucity of factual material about Freud's early childhood