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This is a very challenging book to review. It is a scholarly book which reflects the fact that it began as a doctoral thesis. An advantageous
consequence of this is that the study is not restricted to a review of Freud's early papers, but also investigates the times of which they were a part. It truly offers a detailed historical perspective. For the first time Freud's ideas can be understood in relation to the then current medical and psychological views. The study presents in detail the fascinating picture of the growth of Freud's ideas as they became free of the restrictions of current formulations, and the book shows how he achieved the intellectual independence that allowed him to develop a new theory of science as well as new formulations of mental processes.
Levin's extensive knowledge of the "climate" of the scientific theory of the period allows him to challenge the current view that Freud's physiological training was the basis for his later psychological formulations. He traces the history of patho-anatomical formulations in psychiatry and details the increasing emphasis on dynamic formulations. It is clear that Freud believed that both physiological and psychological formulations were required in order to arrive at an understanding of hysterical phenomena.
When discussing such well-known subjects as Freud's theory of defense and the role of sexuality in the etiology of the neuroses, the author cites a wide range of references which give fresh meaning to the issues involved. It would take more detailed recognition of the extensive references which make the book so valuable to make a review more complete and to do justice to the volume. The only criticism is that the book, having originated as a doctoral dissertation, is written more for the eyes of a committee than as an easy communication to the reader.
The reading is demanding, but it is also rewarding. The book is excellent and fully recommended.