Dr Reik brings his original mind and encyclopaedic knowledge to the never solved and apparently always interesting problem of Woman. He draws attention to the pre-history of Adam who, either a widower or a divorcé (from Lilith), is given a helpmate by God. Applying the analytic rule of 'reversal' to the myth Reik comes to the conclusion that the birth of Eve from Adam was really a wish-fulfilment on Adam's part, and that the real meaning lay in Eve's giving birth to both a son and husband. He then brings this wish of Adam into line with the puberty rites which mean a severance from the mother by the pretence that the sons are reborn by the father.

Reik reminds us here of the many myths that dea with the subject, such as that of the birth of Athene from her father's head. His remarks on mythology, drawn mainly from Otto Rank's book, as well as his interpretation of Genesis are both instructive and, as written in his fluent and witty style, amusing. The book closes with an impressive bibliography.