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This book was orginally published by Random House five years ago. Its second edition delights not only its erudite author but all who are interested in and work at becoming more proficient psychoanalysts. In his preface to the new edition Dr. Singer makes the observation that ours is “a discipline whose demise has been predicted for quite a while by many.” His joy over the need for a second edition is enhanced by the notion that this is further testimony to contradict the dire notes sounded by two major groups, those who press for bigger and better community mental health programs and those who advocate behavior therapy.
The author is kinder in his treatment of the former. Anent the latter approach to treatment he says, “Behavior therapy is fundamentally fascistic brainwashing, scientifically presented and obscured enough to make it socially palatable.” He chides both groups for being mindless of the time factor in psychotherapy. He cautions against the danger of allowing impatience, no matter how nobly motivated, to destroy one's realization that personal growth is a solitary and painful and therefore slow process.
Those who own the first edition will find to need to buy the second because the books are identical except for a new chapter appropriately entitled “Epilogue.” It consists of 16 pages which touch “on the limitation and danger of theory in psychotherapy.” Although interesting, it does not warrant the purchase of a new book.
In the foreword to this book Edward S. Tauber of the William Alanson White Institute said of the author that “…he has a faith in man's drive to health.” Although markedly influenced by Sullivan, Fromm-Reichman and others of the Washington-Baltimore group, Singer cites many concepts which come close to if indeed they do not replicate those of Horney. For example, while discussing the concept of insight, Singer says, “Human beings who are alienated from the core of their experiences and attiudes or aware of them only in an abstract and form