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The author's stated goal in this book is “to extract a theory of affect from … psychoanalytic literature … a new synthesis of existing theory.” This is not an easy task to achieve. Spezzano raises important questions about how we work. His questions address recent developments in psychoanalytic thought.
Spezzano reviews psychoanalytic literature on affects, and makes a compelling argument for viewing the psychoanalytic relationship in an intersubjective context. The reader is convinced of a patient's need for “safety and effectance,” as well as the importance of “the interpretive circle” in psychoanalytic work.
The book is divided into four main sections. In part I, Spezzano explores why psychoanalysts have a history of difficulty in articulating a theory of affect. Noting that affects can be elusive and intangible, he cites theorists who have attempted to elucidate a theory of affects, only to give up their attempts for fear of unraveling drive theory. At the end of this section, Spezzano makes a valuable summary of the assumptions that underlie the way “all analysts” talk about affects. Spezzano proposes, citing Freud and his followers, that contrary to popular belief, our field has long had a theory of affects.
Spezzano's discussion of the dialectics of affect is most compelling.