Meir Perlow's intention in this book is to look closely at what is meant by the idea of an ‘object’ in psychoanalytic object-relations theory. In particular, he examines what has happened to the ‘object’ as psychoanalysis has shifted from a drive-oriented approach to one that has an interest in an individual's interpersonal processes in the formation of his mental organisations, processes and capacities. This book seeks to provide a conceptual structure to enable these developments in object-relations theory to be better considered. Undoubtedly, Perlow has rendered a valuable service to experienced psychoanalysts, candidates and all others interested in psychoanalytic theory by providing such a structure and he has implicitly thrown down a challenge which, I think, deserves taking up. If further theoretical development is to be achieved the issues he raises cannot be ignored.

The ‘object’ has now entered the psychoanalytic vernacular to the extent that it can be used without knowing or thinking about what it means in the context of it being used. Individual