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This book is a compilation of articles and lectures published and/or presented by Dr. Willi Hoffer, one of the early, distinguished workers in psychoanalysis. It is edited by Marjorie Brierley, with a Forward by Anna Freud. It consists of 14 chapters, divided into two parts — Part I: Psychoanalysis and Early Development; and Part II: Psychoanalysis and the Education of the Child.
In Part I, the chapters present some of Dr. Hoffer's thoughts on the psychoanalytic theory of early development. These include some of the obviously early thoughts regarding ego development.
These chapters display much repetition and, as to be expected, the material is very out of date; but they do reflect the excitement felt by the early pioneers in psychoanalysis coming to grips with fascinating clinical material utilizing a theoretical framework that they found challenging and stimulating. However, as a clinical investigator, I found it fascinating to note the total lack of concern regarding the reliability or validity of the investigative procedures used.
As a matter of fact, although he states that many of his writings were based upon many hours of direct infant observations in the Hampstead War Nurseries, there is no detailed description of methodology. Unfortunately, as we well know, this lack of respect for scientific tradition has continued to plague the field of psychoanalysis until the present. In contrast, one should read Stern (1983) to be made aware of the rigorous approaches being followed by those empirical investigators of today who are working in this field, and who seem to be unhampered by ideological commitments.
Most of the chapters are difficult reading, owing probably to the fact that some of them are translated from the German, as well as to the clumsiness of the classical psychoanalytic language. Dr. Hoffer's style, as reflected in these papers, displays a tendency to not fully develop and elaborate the ideas he is working with. He presents his ideas in almost shorthand