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This collection of thirty-two papers, all of which have been previously published elsewhere, is divided into four sections: General Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, Psychotherapy, and Social Psychiatry. The section on psychoanalysis occupies almost one half of the book; but despite the large number of topics Marmor discusses in these papers, which span some thirty years, there are recurrent themes.
Progressive, modern analysts like Marmor have the courage to question some of Freud's theories. Psychoanalysis, he claims, is a useful investigative instrument, but is of dubious therapeutic value, is problematic theoretically, and psychoanalytic education should be returned (sic) to the universities. In addition, Freudian analysts are characterized as frequently rigid, cold technicians who parrot their master and teachers and are duped into accepting the passive acquiescence of their patients and candidates as confirmation of their beliefs. In the course of these strident observations, Marmor raises useful criticisms and questions which deserve careful assessment. But unfortunately, the uneven level of scholarship, the rather elementary and one-sided consideration of highly complex issues, the clinical naïveté, the polemic tone, and Marmor's tendency to set up straw men spoil the usefulness of many of his valid criticisms of psychoanalytic theory and education. He predicts the demise of psychoanalysis in its current form and its ultimate absorption into one fundamental science of dynamic psychiatry—and he would evidently enjoy hastening the process.
The book is replete with erroneous and misleading assertions. To cite only a few egregious examples, he states on page 13: '… the Freudian concept of trieb is not very far removed from the concept of instinct'. In his summary of Freud's views, he states on page 95: '… repression in turn leads to castration anxiety …'. In a discussion of female sexuality, he says on page 149: 'Whenever, and