The writing of books on the history of psychiatry have a unique history of their own. All three books on the history of psychiatry were written by prominent Fellows of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis. This is understandable because it is in keeping with the mission of the Academy to not only look at intrapsychic dynamics, but to understand the broader social and cultural contexts in which human personality develops. The first history book was written by Gregory Zilboorg in 1941, the second by Franz G. Alexander and Sheldon T. Selesnick in 1966, and the third by Michael H. Stone this year.

Having been personally acquainted with the authors of two of the volumes (Alexander and Selesnick and Stone), I thought it would be interesting to provide some information about them. Both books reflect the highest scholarship and