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Richard Grossinger's New Moon is something new under the sun, a real psychoanalytic autobiography. Grossinger tells the story of his life through analytic eyes, and practically takes you under the skin of his psyche. After reading about the extensive interpretation of his dreams, the resolution of his symptoms, and the narrative of his life from birth on, we as analysts know him nearly as well as our
own patients.
Grossinger does not come by his knowledge accidentally. Analytic sessions were part of the fabric of his life from the age of five, when he was sent for treatments for, among other problems, making “puddles” in school. His analyses with two Freudian analysts were probably the predominant force in the formation of his personality. “Yes, I was behind in class and mean to my brother,” he muses, “but I was a symbol explorer and interpreter of dreams.”
The book contains some interesting lessons for analysts. Grossinger compares his two analysts, one indulgent and one more orthodox. “It was because Dr. Fabian was too good a friend that I became unable to confide in him,” he says. “Dr. Friend I found harsh, almost antipathetic, yet I eventually told him the truth” (p. 175).
Grossinger essentially was raised by three parents, his mother, stepfather, and father, the heir to the famous Grossinger's resort. Richard was brought up to believe that Paul Grossinger was his kind, loving “Uncle Paul” until told the truth by his first analyst. Later his father agreed to pay for Richard's education at Horace Mann if his mother would allow the child to change his name from Towers to Grossinger. Richard's education at Horace Mann, along with his analysis, transformed his life. From a slow, indifferent learner he grew into a brilliant and conscientious scholar.
Richard aptly illustrates the power of a kind word from a parent. He had been lunging at and missing balls in the school yard, but when his stepfather said “You're a natural” at his turn at bat, Richard developed new abili