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This volume is a sampling of the professional life's work of one of America's most recognised psychoanalytic clinicians and writers, whose 40-year career spans a period from post-World War II to the present. Few other contemporary psychoanalysts speak and write as lucidly and with such a sharp
clinical focus while developing and explicating a theoretical point of view. A recent 'Arlow Symposium' sponsored by the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and Society attests to the high regard and esteem in which he is held by colleagues.
The book, a compilation of twenty-two papers spanning Arlow's career as a psychoanalyst and teacher, eloquently illustrates his wide-ranging interests—from basic instinctual issues, timely and current papers on theory and technique, to application of psychoanalytic ideas to other fields. In his writings, Arlow clearly reveals a classical Freudian identity with an emphasis on structural theory derived from observable clinical phenomena with patients. At the same time, he is not bound by classical psychoanalytic dogma and repeatedly affirms that clinical theory and practice must be compatible with what one observes in the patient. He is clearly knowledgeable and conversant with many theoretical viewpoints and gives credit where credit is due to those consistent with his clinical experience. Arlow does not construct 'straw men' for contrast, but carefully reviews the thinking of other writers in order to clarify, synthesise and further the understanding of complex clinical phenomena.
The selections included in this volume are rich with detailed clinical examples and vignettes—superb examples of a master clinician's curiosity, scholarly thought and vast clinical experience on an investigative journey into each topic he addresses. While the papers are arranged in chronological order, the comments here will address broad categories such as pathology and pathogenesis, character developmen