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Milman and Goldman provide an excellent selection of writings ranging from the early seminal chapters to modern views. Freud's early formulation of resistance as being all those forces within the patient that oppose the treatment process was quite clear and direct. The writings sampled in this volume suggest that although we have not really gone beyond the essence of that statement, the elaborations and detailing add significantly to the clinical theory and practice of psychoanalysis.
The editors indicate that inherent in Freud's definition is the idea that resistances have both an intrapersonal and an interpersonal component, something that is apparent in the various chapters. The individual offering each add to the matrix of understanding of resistance phenomena. The specific focus of the contributor is quite predictable in the light of their generally extensive publication history. However, each proceeds to show how this fundamental clinical phenomenon can be perceived from his or her conceptual stance. That they succeed as well as they do speaks favorably to the vigor of the particular orientation being espoused. This serves as a reminder of how there may be a number of explanations for any phenomenon, the value of which must be assessed both within its own framework and in relation to other frameworks. In no instance are other frameworks considered, however, and the chapters are left to stand on their own.
“Basic Concepts of Resistance” is the first of three major divisions. An introductory chapter by the editors summarizes briefly the chapters to follow and proposes specific clinical applications from each. This is followed by classical papers on resistance by S. Freud, A. Freud, and Reich. Reich's work is a 74-page except from “Character Resistances.” Although some of the problems inherent in Reich's approach are mentioned in another selection, it is regrettable that Sterba's (1953) critique of Reich was not included in the book. Greenson's brilliant exposition