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A Thing Apart: Love and Reality in the Therapeutic Relationship is an important and wide-ranging book. It concerns the philosophical undergirding of psychoanalysis, the special nature of the psychoanalytic relationship, and the evolution and (mis)use of language as action on the part of certain analy-sands. It presents a clear and cogent argument for an ontology of realism in the face of hermeneutic alternatives. It parses the several components of the analytic relationship to show that therapeutic action is provided through committed interpretive intervention. It explicates a theory of language development and a theory of action, offering the idea of “enacted symbols” as vehicles for the analytic process. In this postmodern age of multiple psychoanalytic approaches, with their frequent claims for new paradigm status, Steingart's book provides an enriched renewal of the “ordinary,” or “normative” Freudian paradigm, as well as a demonstration of its complexity and relevance.
Steingart's approach is challenging, written for experienced analytic therapists with theoretical sophistication, who are well-versed as to contemporary controversies. Steingart respects readers and expects them to work with him on the issues he discusses. He does not shy away from the intricacies of thought, providing extensive endnotes for each chapter. The book is not an easy read, and the author does not oversimplify; he respects and loves his subject, and he does it justice. Readers must be prepared for serious study to do Steingart justice.
This is a well-written book, akin to a modern symphony in classic style. It is textured, polychromatic, and multithematic. Its themes are supported with instrumentalities from related disciplines (psychology, anthropology, linguistics). Its chapters are of strikingly varied length, in consonance with the topics rather than to a preset form. Its tone is often conversational, its metaphors evocative. Earlier themes are reintroduced as