Freud: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

But "Freud" was a definite exception. It engaged me right from the beginning and was pitched at exactly the right level - not too complex but not patronising either. As others have commented, Storr's style is elegent and carries you through the harder sections. I felt his opinions were balanced well. All too often people are either unquestioningly enthusiastic about Freud or completely write off all his ideas as worthless nonsense.

I did think the book lost its way slightly in the chapters on art and culture, but I think that was partly because I was less interested in those topics. The book acheives its aim to provide a solid but brief introduction. I am looking forward to moving on to a slightly more in-depth study.


Nice introduction   February 6, 2004
Ned Lowe
35 out of 35 found this review helpful

The Oxford University Press 'A very short introduction to...' books are generally very good, and this is certainly no exception.

As with the others, it is not insulting to one's intelligence (An idiot's guide to...), doesn't assume that you can't understand anything more complicated than a cartoon (Introducing...), and still imparts a good basic knowledge of the man and his work.

There's no way that this book would be enough to understand everything, and certainly doesn't replace reading actual works, but it arms you with more than enough knowledge for everyday conversations.

The writing style is quite nice, and fairly easy to read, and a good degree of objectivity is shown throughout - in no way is this a homage to Freud.

Personally, I think that if you wish to gain a good understanding of basic worldly knowledge, this series of books is an excellent place to start, and your understanding of psychoanalysis, not just Freud, will be enhanced through this book.