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It may be said at once that this book is an outstanding achievement, that for the next ten years it will be a standard work of
reference for social workers and others interested in the psychological effects of war, and that it is severely handicapped by an unfortunate and utterly misleading title. One can only surmise that the author confused the scope with the purpose of her book. No doubt Dr. Benedek wrote it with the object of giving field workers some insight into the dynamics and economics of personality adjustment, an insight which, it need hardly be added, is a prerequisite of the successful rehabilitation of those soldiers and civilians who suffered in one way or another from the impact of war. But in that case she would have been better advised to reverse the order of title and subtitle.
In yet another respect Dr. Benedek's book is outstanding. It has been given to few psychoanalysts, however well versed in the theory and practice of psychoanalysis, to write wisely, or, for the matter of that, even with plain commonsense, on the practical handling of social and personal problems. Dr. Benedek is one of the distinguished few. She has combined a sound understanding of analytical theory with intimate knowledge of the practical aspects of her subject. And since her manner of presentation is pleasant and persuasive, she may congratulate herself on having achieved her aim with apparently effortless ease.
The scope of her work can best be indicated by summarizing the table of contents. Having outlined the developmental factors that are responsible for adult love and marital object choice, and having singled out the effects of psychic and physical 'separation', Dr. Benedek proceeds to apply her findings to such problems as adjustment in the services, the emotional situation on demobilization, the reactions of the family to the returning soldier and of the returning soldier to his family. Chapters on mourning, on the psychological sequelæ of disablement and