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Though the work of American thinkers, such as Kernberg and Kohut, on the advancement of the understanding of narcissistic disturbances is well known, the contribution of the British school has a comparatively low profile. This book seems to redress the balance, by providing an up-to-date presentation of the work in this area by British psychotherapists and psychoanalysts of different theoretical orientations.
The book as a whole is a convincing picture of the narcissistic patient found in various settings in the National Health Service. Narcissistic patients challenge our therapeutic enthusiasm, often in very disturbing ways — thwarting attempts at reaching them, yet at the same time urgently seeking an object with whom to relate.
The book is divided into three sections: the first, an overview of the important theoretical and clinical literature; the second on narcissism in the life-cycle, containing chapters on infancy, adolescence, couples, childbearing, aging and bereavement; and the third concerned with the clinical aspects of narcissism, with particular reference to perversions and addictions.