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In the last decade, the psychoanalytic world has seen an increasing proliferation of articles and books on Bion's work. Terms such as reverie, alpha, beta, and expressions such as without memory or desire and containment have become almost commonplace. With such “flooding,” many efforts are uneven. Seeing different interpretations of Bion's ideas is natural and even desirable, but there are also manifestations of what might be called a sort of exploitation.
Indeed, the Bion bandwagon has arrived, and the multitudes who have jumped on it have different backgrounds, interests, and levels of competence. What would be Bion's own impression of this phenomenon? It is not unlikely, I observe melancholically, that not only would he not recognize some of his so-called followers, but that he would be dismayed at, though not surprised by, the use—and sometimes misuse—of his ideas.
Yet in this multitudinous group of followers, some great names remain and new ones emerge—voices of authority and clarity, such that any reader can turn to them with confidence. Chris Mawson's gallant editorial effort in Bion Today incorporates the work of illustrious Bionian authors, some of whom, while less well known in the United States, have examined Bion's ideas with lucidity, originality, and ultimately a strong affection.
The book is divided into six sections. The introductory section is made up of two articles, the first by Mawson himself: “Bion Today: Thinking in the Field.” Mawson begins by highlighting Bion's originality