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The author of an introductory psychoanalytic text faces no easy task. There are multiple dilemmas. Should he describe the historical evolution of psychoanalytic propositions or should he present the contemporary understanding of them? If he chooses to present the contemporary understanding, how does he do this, given there is no one ‘contemporary understanding’ in this age of pluralism and contention? Is it possible to write a text about psychoanalysis when it is difficult to find two psychoanalysts who agree on what psychoanalysis is and what its boundaries are? William Meissner, a long-standing and prolific contributor to the psychoanalytic literature is not one to be frightened of such a challenge, and he has brought his considerable erudition and experience to his effort to write an introduction to the field. Inevitably, every such effort is a personal one; the author presents his vision of what psychoanalysis is and is not and Meissner's book is no exception. Inevitably as well, while his effort is an impressive one, it is not entirely successful in conveying the breadth and vibrancy of the current psychoanalytic scene.
Meissner is well aware of these dilemmas. In his introduction he states that he has chosen to present his material partly chronologically and partly conceptually, and he predicts this will result in some confusion for the reader. He predicts correctly. The first five chapters follow the historical development of Freud's ideas. Then there is an abrupt shift and in two chapters he covers the topics of development, object relations and narcissism, including in them both Freud's thought and post-Freudian contributions. Then he shifts back to the historical development of Freud's ideas about anxiety and the development of the structural hypothesis and egopsychology. The book closes with a chapter on ‘ongoing developments’ (some of which have been alluded to in earlier chapters) and a chapter on psychoanalytic treatment. While many points of view are i