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In a letter dated 5 November 1913 the famous Swiss psychiatrist and friend of psychoanalysis Eugen Bleuler remarked to Freud, “despite your great achievements in science, psychologically you are actually an artist to me” (Schröter, 2012, p. 203, my translation). Freud's preoccupation with science is well known, as is his infatuation with literature and art. From its very beginning psychoanalysis has been widely adopting and applying imagery from literature. In return, it has enriched literature with its own interpretations and instruments of understanding, providing literary authors with new insights and tools. Psychoanalysis and literature have had a very dynamic relationship of many fruitful exchanges which has, however, also revealed some rivalries and animosities (Hristeva, 2009).
With her book Psychoanalysis and Literature Marilyn Charles has taken up a great challenge. She has committed herself to the ambitious task of bringing a fresh perspective to this wide-ranging, multi-faceted and much discussed topic. Yet true to its subtitle, The Stories We Live, this book thrusts us right into the middle of life. The human condition is at the center of Charles' book and the common denominator of psychoanalysis and literature. Even the structure of the book reflects the essence of life: it is a collection of talks and essays produced by Charles over the years; it is made of different layers, touches numerous subjects, and captivates our attention with a profusion of names and images.
The dominant image in Charles' book is that of the labyrinth. Inspired by the myth of the Cretan Minotaur, throughout her book Charles dwells on modern existence as a dangerous journey down a path with many twists and turns, and some dead ends. We live in an “odd universe” (p. 72) of enormous tensions and complexities, of ubiquitous, insolvable dilemmas, cultural collisions and unsettling chaos. What's more, chaos sometimes leads to catastrophic change causing trauma and the “disruption of t