Paul Schilder on Neuroses: Lauretta Bender, M.D., Ed.,  International Universities Press, New York, 1979,  387 pp.

This volume of Schilder's writings about the psychoneuroses should be read in conjunction with its companion volume, Paul Schilder on Psychoses. Neither is an exhaustive compilation of Schilder's contributions in these areas, but they are certainly adequate representative samples. The editing of Lauretta Bender, unobtrusive as it is, contributes a subtle additional flavor of noteworthy significance.

Schilder said in other writings that he was engaged in a “vast enterprise which tries to circle the psychological horizon … A unified view of the realm of psychology is intended,” Those who observed Schilder at work would not consider these statements as too expansive a description of his endeavors. He had an encyclopedic mind and at times seemed to be interested in everything and anything. One needed an overview of his work or one of his books to realize that he was constantly systematizing and organizing

In another connection Schilder wrote, “As is every serious worker in this field, I am deeply influenced by Freud. However, guided by my own efforts and by my own material, I have developed my own ideas. Freud's work is an era in psychology. In order to utilize it fully, new, independent efforts are necessary.” These new, independent efforts Schilder certainly made. He could take a statement containing a seemingly standard accepted theme, and restate it in an entirely original manner, so that it almost seemed like a completely new concept. He was full of surprises to his onlookers and readers. One of his regularly employed procedures was to present a few facts and derive from them a conclusion in the form of a generalization. These remarks usually seemed startling and provoked thought. Some samples are adduced here: “Motor power can be transposed from motion to thought and thus change the importance and persistence of the thought. A thought endowed with motor power may become omnipotent or may become obsessive.” “An early threat to equilibrium is a fundamental point in ca