Recent Books on Group Psychotherapy

Group Psychotherapy—Theory and Practice. By J. W. Klapman. (2nd edition.) (New York: Grune & Stratton, 1959. Pp. 301. $6.75.)

After a brief history of the wide range of procedures used with groups, in hospitals and with out-patients, there are descriptions of the methods best suited to various degrees of disorganization in the patient. The approach is superficial and it is not clear what the author considers to be the dynamics of change in the personality. Not a book for the psycho-analyst.

Group Psychoanalysis. By B. Bohdan Wassell. (New York: Philosophical Library; London: Owen, 1959. $3.75. 30 s.)

As a pupil of K. Horney, the author writes sensitively of the relationships the individual makes compulsively and those he really wants to make—both in his external life and in the group.

It is abundantly plain that group therapy is a valuable procedure in Dr Wassell's restrained hands, and it is therefore the more disappointing that his formulations of working principles are obscured by an excessive interspersal with sketchy examples of patient behaviour.

Experiences in Groups. By W. R. Bion. (London: Tavistock; New York: Basic Books, 1961. Pp. 198. 20 s. $3.95.)

Since Bion's papers on groups appeared about fifteen years ago they have made a profound impact on social psychologists, but have been less influential amongst group psychotherapists, chiefly because his interest seemed to be focussed on the group process rather than on helping the individual.

Published within one relatively slight volume, the full status of this remarkable contribution is more readily appreciated. Its place as a classic is indicated by the fact that critical articles entirely devoted to Bion's views have appeared in the journals, and no one working with groups should be without this book for periodic re-reading.

Psychoanalysis in Groups. By Alexander Wolf and Emanuel K. Schwartz. (New York: Grune & Stratton, 1962. Pp. 326. $8.00.)

These authors have been practising and writi