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'This small book represents an attempt by organized psychoanalysis to clarify for the public in simple, understandable language what is meant by its terms and concepts. It is a public information effort initiated by the Committees on Public Information and
Indexing, and enthusiastically supported by the American Psychoanalytic Association and its members. Over seventy contributors have submitted definitions on the basis of their special knowledge.'
This concise statement from the introduction tells the purpose of the book, for which the editors and contributors are to be congratulated heartily. The only strong criticism I can make is that there is no promise that the Glossary will be revised every ten years or so. This omission is easy to understand since the editors, apparently performing a labor of love, could not presume such authority. Nevertheless I hope 'organized psychoanalysis' will take this task upon itself.
The book is clearly intended for a knowledgeable reading public who may, in the course of periods of understandable confusion during their perusals, wish direct and authoritative clarifications. What impact this book will have on this public I don't know. It has the potential of being helpful. It is obviously directed to an already sophisticated group. Hence I regret the omission of Fenichel's Outline of Clinical Psychoanalysis from the 'basic bibliography'.
The contents are excellent. For example, the simple clarification of the terms identification, incorporation, and introjection condenses many papers on these terms, an advantage (and also a disadvantage). The book is not above polemicizing in spots but in a good-willed didactic manner. One may cavil with some points; for example on the topic of aggression, one may question that all psychoanalysts assume there is an aggressive instinctual drive. But such differences of opinion are not important for the book.
While I do not know what effect the book will have on the public for which it is