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Brian Bird's new edition of his very popular and successful 1955 volume makes one wonder whether a very good original work can ever be significantly improved by revision. Perhaps the addition of footnotes or a brand new book with a new title and format would be better approaches. The original may suffer in the revision by overexpansion and repetitiousness, as is the case here. In addition to seemingly needless padding with examples, the author sometimes rambles in a philosophical, speculative vein that detracts from the intention of the original to function as a primer. Perhaps more was intended here, but the result is an uneven and at times tedious hypertrophy.
The new edition is nearly three times longer than the original and contains eleven entirely new chapters, while seven others have been substantially rewritten and greatly expanded. Sometimes the revised chapters contain the original text at the beginning or in the middle; at other times the original text is altered in the direction of a more informal contemporary literary style that may be in keeping with the stated aim of updating the material in response to much favorable reaction to the original. This rationale also appears to account for what seem to be digressions into philosophical and sociological commentaries and opinions. One such commentary is on the greater freedom to express dissent and aggression in our society today than there was twenty years ago, with special attention to the medical profession as a typical institution under attack. The author then makes a statement about the doctor's 'right' and 'duty … to speak his particular piece'. This comes at the conclusion of the chapter entitled The Angry Patient and while not inappropriate in the context, it exemplifies the sort of indulgent expansion Bird has allowed himself.
Another example of particular interest to analysts, who are (or were at one time) medical doctors and who frequently treat physicians or medical students analytically,