This slim volume, the fourth by Dr. Sheldon Bach, is a “how-to” manual inspired by his students' questions about psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. Bach makes clear at the outset that the intent of this book is not to be an exhaustive evidence-based scholarly one; rather, it is to demystify a variety of themes of interest to beginning psychoanalysts/psychotherapists.

My interest in reviewing this book was driven by: the “how-to” genre (I find practical text easier to digest than theoretical text); my eagerness to learn how a master clinician works; and the book's brevity.

The contents, as promised, emphasize practical issues ranging in complexity from: how to listen to a patient; how to choose a personal psychoanalyst; manage the transference, including the sadomasochistic transference, and narcissistic disequilibrium; manage the telephone; get paid for your work; make a careful referral; manage vacations, weekends, illnesses, and no shows.