The Purloined Self-Interpersonal Perspectives in Psychoanalysis. Levinson, Edgar A., MD., and Arthur H. Feiner, PhD., (Eds.). New York:  Contemporary Psychoanalysis Books, William Alanson White Institute, 1991,  252 pages, hardcover $39.95, softcover $24.95.

In this first volume of Contemporary Psychoanalysis Books, Edgar Levinson shares with us a readable and erudite collection of his articles. While scholarly in both its literary and scientific references, mis book is not likely to intimidate the novice reader of Interpersonal literature. The collection will be rewarding to those who ponder “whatever happened to the teaching of the Interpersonalists.” Notably, the collection spans more man 15 years and, almough some repetition of ideas does occur, we have a sense of Levinson's struggle for continuity. Levinson applies sincerity and eagerness in his attempts to develop a language for our continued discourse-one in which all psychoanalysts can practice more effectively.

Levinson unabashedly proclaims himself an Interpersonalist. These are times of proclamations, of Object Relations devotion, Kohutionism and Narrationalism. Levinson emphasizes that to be an Interpersonalist is to belong to a school that is not so easy to define. He reminds us that there is no agreement on just what an Interpersonalist is. Levinson states that in the past contributions like those of Sullivan “were almost totally ignored outside of interpersonally oriented institutes,” and that Sullivan's ideas must not be