Freud
Inventor of the Modern Mind
“Kramer succeeds in reconciling the two Freuds—the inventor of the modern mind and the false saint—and that is a considerable achievement.” —Washington Post Book World
Though he is still known as “the father of psychoanalysis,” Sigmund Freud’s legacy is in dispute. Many scholars and scientists have begun to challenge the accuracy of his theories and his honesty regarding his clinical practice; others are fierce defenders of the man who charted the human unconscious.
Peter D. Kramer, himself a practicing psychiatrist and a leading authority on mental health, offers a new take on this controversial figure, at once critical and sympathetic. Grappling with the ongoing debate, as well as his own admiration for the great psychoanalyst, Kramer shows that Freud’s legacy extends beyond the scientific realm—the discipline he invented has transformed the way we see ourselves and become an inescapable part of our culture.
“Sparkling. . . . [Kramer’s] writing is informed, condensed, and clear.” —Library Journal
“[An] outstanding new biography” —New York Sun
“A slim, absorbing book…Kramer is a skilled storyteller.” —Boston Sunday Globe