The Second Look. The Reconstruction of Personal History in Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis: By Samuel Novey, M.D. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1968. 162 pp.

Using the history given by patients and the process of gathering such a history as a basis of his book, the late Samuel Novey has written a wide-ranging consideration of the problems of psychoanalysis and dynamic psychiatry. Dr. Novey's many interests are reflected in his discussion of the function and philosophy of history before he approaches the multitudinous problems presented in psychoanalytic practice. Following the introductory chapters, he considers the role of the psychoanalyst as a historian who attempts to ascertain the facts concerning a patient—a life history compounded of external and internal events of reality and fantasy. These discussions lead naturally to considerations of memory, of language, of transference, of interpretations and reconstructions, and of the nature of the therapeutic process itself. Each topic is viewed individually and also in relationship to the others.

This work evinces a breadth of approach ranging from philosophy to law to actual clinical vignettes that illustrate the conclusions presented. There is a range of vision which appreciates that the therapeutic needs of the patient are paramount; the human component is of overriding importance throughout. Thus the social and cultural milieu of both patient and therapist is a subject of discussion as are the hopes and expectations of each in the therapeutic process. Of particular interest is the observation, bolstered