Pierri, Maria. Occultism and the Origins of Psychoanalysis: Freud, Ferenczi and the Challenge of Thought Transference. Trans. from Italian, Adam Elgar.  Routledge. 2023. Hbk. £120. Pbk. £29.99.: Pierri, Maria. Sigmund Freud and The Forsyth Case: Coincidences and Thought Transmission in Psychoanalysis. Trans. from Italian, Adam Elgar.  Routledge. 2023. Hbk. £120. Pbk. £29.99.

This review considers two texts written in Italian by Maria Pierri, translated by Adam Elgar and published in English for the first time in 2023. Both relate to the connection between psychoanalysis and occultism. The first book concerns how occultism—ranging from quasi- and pseudo-scientific techniques like hypnotism, mesmerism and magnetism, to uncanny coincidences, to superstitions, to expressly supernatural ideas like spirit mediumship, automatic writing, prophecies and magic—shaped foundational psychoanalytic insights and helped forge core professional and personal relationships in its founding era. The second book provides an in-depth illustration of thought transmission and a series of uncanny coincidences from the same historical period, occurring during Freud's encounter with an English patient called Dr David Forsyth. Both texts, while touching on other occult phenomena, have a particular focus on thought transmission—telepathy—and coincidences.

I review these texts because, while Jung is a secondary figure in both, they raise at least three important themes for those interested in Jung's legacy, particularly when occult and spiritual topics are often given more patient and serious attention in analytical psychology than in mainstream psychoanalysis. The themes are as follows:

• The historical relationships between Jung, Freud, Ferenczi, Jones and many important psychoanalytic and other thinkers and how these relationships were influenced by occultism and spiritualism.

• The connection between occult and spiritual experiences (particularly coincidences and telepathy) and psychoanalytic ideas and whether

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  psychoanalysis can provide insight into the non-magical origins of these experiences.

• How the broader popularity of occultism in the sociocultural environment in the founding era influenced psychoanalysis's priorities and research.

Before considering these themes, a brief reflection on the style of the books. Both are written in a unique style which is part-nove