Winnicott and Paradox – From Birth to Creation: By Anne Clancier and Jeannine Kalmanovitch. Translated by Alan Sheridan. London and New York: Tavistock Publications. 1987. Pp. 174.

The title of the book seems very suggestive to us, for Winnicott himself stressed the importance and the peculiarity of paradox in human development as well as the necessity of supporting and accepting it. As Masud Khan points out in his foreword to the book, Winnicott emphasized the many ways in which paradox formed a part of his own life, from the very beginning; and we find its application throughout his work, both in his practice and in the way he expresses his theoretical thoughts.

The book begins with a preface by Simone Decobert, who very vividly describes the first impact of Winnicott's striking personality on her. Dr Decobert gives us a description of Winnicott's warmth, which seems to us to be a characteristic of the man and his work; it would be difficult for anyone entering into contact with the many aspects of human development as described by Winnicott, not to notice and emphasize the straightforwardness and humanity contained in his writings. In her preface, Dr Decobert also speaks about the preconceived ideas circulating in Paris about Winnicott's work, and the way he explained, almost defended, his ideas in the early sixties. She examines some of the criticism levelled at the introduction of the parameter of external reality in treatment, the notion of 'holding', as well as the question concerning the variations in technique. This last criticism, she points out, is 'inevitably levelled at all those who are concerned with other cases than classical neuroses'.

Finally, the preface announces the purpose of the book, which is to take up the new heuristic dimension of Winnicott's highly creative way of describing human development and introduce it to the French reader.

The preface is followed by a short biography of D. W. Winnicott, in which the authors make an attempt to link some of the vicissitudes of his life to his choices and the way in which he approached the individual.

The first chapter is very properly entitled 'There's no such thing as an inf