In undertaking to review Howard Covitz's book, I find myself in a state of inner conflict that actually illustrates Covitz's main thesis. Ironically the conflict stems from our being so much in agreement. Having independently presented a very similar interpretation of the Oedipus complex in my own book (Frattaroli, 2001), should I tell you about Covitz's book in a way that keeps the focus on his ideas or should I tilt the discussion to emphasize mine?

According to standard Freudian theory (what Covitz calls the “Symbolic” Oedipal theory), my conflict involves a universal biological, instinct-driven competition against Covitz for alpha male status, for sexual possession of the object of our desire (i.e. the reader), opposed by fear of retaliation/punishment