John Bowlby: An Interview

John Bowlby is well known for his research and many writings regarding attachment and loss. This interview took place in his small, plain office at Tavistock Institute and Clinic in London, February 15, 1990, 11 days before his eighty-third birthday.

I left the London subway burdened with the video camera and all its paraphernalia including the tripod, two tape recorders, notes, and camera, only to discover, with dismay, that there were no cabs. Eventually someone pointed, vaguely, indicating that somewhere up the nearby hill and through a residential area there was a large clinic. I saw no signs. I was anxious I would not find the clinic. The streets were deserted. Actually, I was early and had caught my breath by the time Dr. Bowlby greeted me. Nothing in his speech or demeanor betrayed his age.

Dr. Bowlby was not given to theories not verified by research. He was a scientist. I was surprised there was no analytic couch and began the interview in a state of awe. I had The Atlantic magazine, (February, 1990) in my hand. The cover article, “Becoming Attached — What Children Need,” describes Dr. Bowlby's and others' work on attachment. I was surprised he had not seen it yet. He seemed pleased to accept my extra copy as a gift. The next day he expressed his and his wife's pleasure in the article.