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The Elliotts have written a manual for counselors which is not merely another make-psychology-simple book. Counseling is the
business of aiding others by advice and interpretation, no matter who does it or what the degree of penetration. It must be noted that we have no psychological theory which divides cases according to relative difficulty and to depth of penetration necessary—if the neuroses be excluded. The result is that it is difficult to evaluate a book like this. The authors believe that there is a field for advice and guidance in which psychoanalytic treatment is not required. Use is made of conceptions which can be traced directly to Freud's work. For example, the authors refer frequently to the contrast between "personality age" which may be retarded, and chronological age at which mature development is expected. Through the aid of the counselor an individual is brought to take the risks that he feels are attendant upon the assumption of social maturity. One of the great values of the book is its intelligent social orientation. The authors understand clearly, at any rate, what the adult individual ought to be like. The root concepts which are used include evasion of responsibility, the rôle of fear, self direction as an adult characteristic, dependence, and plan of life. The problems of sex and marriage are treated intelligently. The functions of the counselor are to give initial support, shift responsibility to the subject, give practical directions for self-directed living, and then to withdraw support. One may say that we have here a good practical text for the general field of personality study and guidance and that it is to the reviewer's knowledge the best choice of a simple book in this field. The authors are weak in a systematic theory of personality formation, but this weakness is quite pardonable in view of the general lack of such a theory in the literature. There is a temperate discussion of psychoanalysis and of the problem