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This is an unusual book, and one difficult to review. It was presented by friends and pupils to Carl Alfred Meier on his sixtieth birthday. A Festschrift of this kind is not so unusual in German-speaking countries as in England, and it emphasizes a feature of academic life with which the English-speaking reader may not be familiar: namely, the master-pupil relationship which counts for more on the continent of Europe than in England, where quality of degree obtained and the university's reputation give status rather more than the name of a particular teacher. In addition, there is the emphasis on the teaching role of the analyst and the fact that many successful analysands (pupils) seem to become friends of their analyst.
The nature of the book as a gift, as well as the occasion for which it was written, call for appreciation rather than criticism. The editor, having asked Meier's friends to contribute to this volume, could hardly have been in a position to reject or deal harshly with their response. The result, as one would expect in such circumstances, is somewhat uneven in quality, but almost every analytical taste is catered for. In fact, one may surmise that the breadth of this ‘spectrum’ reflects that of Meier's own interest and he may be justly pleased to see his achievement in the speculum of his book.
Of the twenty-three contributions, nine are in German, twelve in English, and two in music. The latter at the beginning and end of the book make a fitting frame. The majority of the contributors seem to be practising psychotherapists. Four categories of paper can be distinguished: (i) those dealing with the archetypal background and its bearing on the work; (ii) original statements by scholars from other disciplines—these include two comparative studies of Western psychology and Eastern philosophical systems; (iii) psychotherapy—theory and application; (iv) parapsychology. But this is a rough classification, and in some instances one would find it hard to apply