Interviews Books

C.G. Jung Speaking is a classic. It is superbly edited by William McGuire and R.F.C. Hull, the former was the executive editor of the Collected Works of C.G. Jung and editor of The Freud /Jung Letters, the latter was translator of the Collected Works until his death in 1974.
C.G. Jung Speaking is a chronological series of interviews and encounters including several kinds of testimony from Jung and about him. Each segment is introduced and given a context ranging from a boyhood memoir of his friend Albert Oeri to six months before his death on June 6, 1961 when he met with the diplomat Miguel Serrano. Topics range from a Cosmopolitan article Diagnosing the Dictators to a discussion with Charles Lindberg on Flying Saucers.
The following is a sample from an informal talk titled Is Analytical Psychology a Religion?

"We all must do just what Christ did. We must make our experiment. We must make mistakes. We must live our own vision of life...People call me a religious leader. I am not that. I have no message, no mission; I attempt only to understand. We are philosophers in the old sense of the word, lovers of wisdom."
Much misunderstood and maligned, Dr. Jung has been described elsewhere as atheist, a mystic, occultist, prophet, poet, polygamist, misogynist, con-man, anti-Semite, racist, psychotic, guru, Gnostic, and American spy.
As my Zurich training analyst, A.R.Pope remarked: "It is always better to get information from the horse's mouth rather than the other end."

In this most interesting volume, Jung explains many of his concepts/models in response to interviews, questions, etc. giving the information a different slant & providing needed context on the spot. Topics include: psychological types, anima/animus, the value of artistic expression, the value of education, discipline of children (p. 58 "It is not a rare occurrence for a somewhat severe reprimand administered to a child in his playpen or his bed to affect him during his entire lifetime"), the nature of neuroses, the faults of nations & mobs, the psychological value of land vs. urban living (p. 204 "I am fully committed to the idea that human existence should be rooted in the earth"), individuation vs. therapy, non-politically correct views on the differences between men & women (p. 245 "Women are much tougher than men underneath. To call women the weaker sex is sheer nonsense"), music & analysis, the persona (societal image/roles), mandalas as images of the Self, psychosomatic illnesses, Rorschach tests, mythology & archetypes, psychotherapy & the transference, the nature & value of marriage, Plato, astrology, & more. I took over 70 quotes for my collection.

Some of the most important quotes concern knowledge of self & others despite considerable resistance to it: p. 244 "Men are inclined to resent any interference with their way of thinking and their hidebound convictions" & p. 248 "We must begin to learn about man until every Jekyll can see his Hyde." Further, pp. 129-130 "you always become the thing you fight the most...When you fight a thing you have to get very close to it, it is likely to infect you." Others address differences: p. 194 "different nationalities and different races have different outlooks and different psychologies" & p. 413 "It [Christianity] goes wrong in so far as it believes itself to be the only truth." Jung's wisdom shines through & it's timeless:

PAST: pp. 271-2 But do you know who anticipated my entire psychology in the 18th century? The Hasidic Rabbi Baer from Meseritz whom they called the Great Maggid. He was a most impressive man.

PRESENT: p. 389 All statements we make about God are statements about the unconscious.

FUTURE: p. 374 The great problem before us is over-population, not the atom bomb.

A must! if you are interested in C.G. Jung and his psychology.

Why is "C.G. Jung Speaking" a must?

FIRST OF ALL, simply because the Collected Works doesn't include the information found here. These are not works of Jung, but the works of others--interviews, characterizations etc. In other words, you will find some information here which you could only dig out with great difficulty, scattered in numerous works.

SECOND, in the interviews Jung is sometimes caught off-guard by a surprise question, and so, forced to develop on the aspects of his theories that he may perhaps have though self-explanatory.

THIRD, you see Jung through the eyes of others -- Esther Harding, Charles Baudoin, Michael Fordham, Charles Lindbergh, and others.

Some subjects, touched upon in this book:

- Jung's own type, according to his typology (Introvert. And Thinking, Intuition, Sensing/Perception, and Feeling, in that order)

- Freud's type (extravert--hence his pleasure principle)

- Adler's type (introvert--hence his power complex)

- The psychology of dictators (Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and, yes, Roosewelt)

- The nature of intuition

- introvert vs. extravert intuitives

- Creative achievement

- Jung's breaking with Freud.

- Jung and Nazism/anti-Semitism (Jung defends himself in December 1949)

And the somewhat transcendent questions:

- God

- death and life after death

- astrology and alchemy

Edited by William McGuire, executive editor of the Collected Works (CW), in collaboration with R.F.C. Hull, translater of CW, it is no surprise to find that this excellent book contains numerous references to CW, as well as a comprehensive index.

...you must have this; there are treasures here you won't find anywhere else. One of the finest collections of Jung and Jungiana I've seen.

In typical Chomskyian fashion, "Case Studies In Hypocrisy: US Human Rights Policy" is an extensive exercise in wit and wisdom. Noam Chomsky informs the listener of the paradox between America's official foreign policy and the bloody reality of its practice. As part of Chomsky's analysis of U.S. foreign relations and human rights policies, he takes the listener through specific incidents in such countries as China, Palestine and Iraq. This is a great audio lecture for Chomsky fans and anyone concerned with the plight of their fellow human beings overseas.

The section on Iraq is especially prescient. By Midnight on September 11, I already knew the Bush administration would use that horrible day as a pretext to attack those people again.

Mandatory listening for anyone who cares about democracy.

Noam Chomsky's books and CD's are addictive once you start reading or listenening you just can not get enough.

if I was not the one who did it. Noam provides a brief overview of how US human rights policy has done much to cause the "wars" we now need to stop.

While the connections are obvious we do little to change. We view the UN as a joke and have countless times displayed this.
We have had a past of funding ethnic cleansing in other countries and it would be foolish to think by ignoring it we will change.

I ordered this book because it was a good value. "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism", "Myth of Freedom", and "Heart of the Buddha" in one volume (previously owned copy) for $23 dollars from the Amazon Marketplace. Plus I had read his student's book, "Luminous Emptiness" and was very touched. So, I was intrigue to find out what he taught in his own seminars.

Having only read "Cutting through Spiritual Materialism" so far, all I can say is that this part of the volume is brilliant. concise and get straight to the point. He made profound and insightful advices easily understandable, a sign of profound understanding of the materials being presented. He exposes the underlying materialistic motivations of many seekers of truth even when they believe their own motivations are completely honest and honorable.

I have to admit after reading "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism", I discovered that my own quest is filled with aggression and motivated by materialistic gain. His lucid writing truly forced me to re-examine my own actions and behaviors. His advocacy of simplicity, living in each moment, and living with disappointment have really open my eyes to a more open vision. Once in a long while, you find a book that truly change the direction of your life. "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" did that for me.

What can I say? This guy is brilliant, well schooled, well reincarnated, and can write. I was on the edge of my seat reading his exit from Tibet being so close to danger and death the whole trip. This man has deep compassion. He has been over criticized because of how/what people think a holy man should be. His wife wrote a great autobiography of their life. It made me appreciate this collection of writing that much more. He was the meditation pioneer for western culture.

This is a great book. The tale of his travels from Tibet to India was facinating. There is a lot of variety in this book in terms of being at the edge of your seat, understanding depth of compassion in an ordinary way, understanding meditation, understanding eastern tradition from a western point of view. The author is a genious, way a head of his time. He has been quite controversial as the practice and way of Buddhism is a real experience not what other people think of you and/or spirituality. It was hard to put this book down.

This review concerns the format more than the content. In many regards "The Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa" is a wonderful series. It is also a bit peculiar, however. Chogyam Trungpa did not write the books anthologized herein (except one or two). Rather, transcripts of various talks given over the course of many years were edited by his students into various books intended for the general public, in many cases after his death. With this collection, those books have been anthologized. All the volumes have helpful introductions, and they are organized along discernible lines.

However, it should be noted that this is not a "Complete Works of Chogyam Trungpa," and new books based on his talks continue to be created. Also, one can't help but wonder if a different approach might have been called for. Given the fact that the original books were pieced together by collaborative effort in the first place, it might have made sense to re-edit the material for an even more unitary, cohesive eight-volume set. Why hew so closely to the original formats when they were not created by the "author" in the first place?

That aside, this is a helpful compilation for enthusiasts of Chogyam Trungpa's teachings.

I havent read this book but my Aunt Jill wrote it and i am sure its good

VonGruben crafts a must read for any graduating high school student or high school parent. From Financial Aid to Admissions, this is an invaluable tool. Hats off to VonGruben!

As a professional interested in helping teens get their maximum potential out of the pre-college experience, I found this book to be most helpful and timely. Whether you're a high school student who is just beginning to think about college or a parent who is confused about all the new procedures and time tables, this book will guide and inspire you throughout the entire process. With expert information, a great, reader-friendly layout, and lots of practical advice, this book is the only resource you'll ever need to navigate the waters of the college admissions process!

I recommend this book for all of my students who are planning to attend college. The book is comprehensive, easy to follow, and unlike other books on college it has handy examples of sample resumes, worksheets for listing college visits and contacts, sample questions for interviews, timelines for scholarships and applications, and a sample of a thank you note for recommendations. The book is easy to follow and is based on Mrs. VonGruben's own personal experiences with her children. The college industry has become a big business and wise students and parents need to explore all options. This book will help them to know when to begin the college planning process, how to go about it, and enable students and parents to make wise decisions regarding college.

Was hard to find, same interviewer that worked with Al Pacino on his book. Great intro and good conversations.

The interview that this book is based on was conducted before Brando filmed "Superman" but I can't imagine that Brando has changed much since. Grobel shows his skills as an interviewer by originally agreeing to only talk about the Native American cause with Brando but eventually teasing out anecdotes about acting, sex, stalkers, Brando's upbringing and much more. Grobel does not try to outsmart Brando, even while he is trying to sneak in forbidden acting/movie questions. He faces his subject head-on and when Brando chooses to speak about his hated profession, he is extremely entertaining. He shows Brando as a very complicated man who is hard to dislike - even if you don't agree with his politics, you come away from the book thinking that Brando is a charming, intelligent, thoughtful and super-talented individual who deserves all the praise for his acting skills. This interview could be considered his greatest performance - it comes from the same honesty that he invested his early screen and stage characters with.

I could not put the book, "Conversations With Brando," down once I began reading it. As a Marlon Brando devotee, I was so very pleased to open the book and find that the largest part of the book is composed of Marlon Brando's own words. I could have listened to this man talk all day long, every day of every week. And, in this book, he is at his incredible best -interesting, intelligent, witty, sensitive, idealistic, real, wise, inspirational, poignant, reflective, philosophical, poetic; humanitarian. I love his eccentric ways and I respect his principles of character - standing up for the causes of the voiceless in the world. I appreciate that he bowed to no one when the convictions of his heart and his conscience were at stake.

Most of all, when Marlon's children were in trouble, he made the kinds of sacrifices and suffered in ways that only a father whose children are his whole heart would have done.

What a beautiful man Marlon was and what an exemplary, praiseworthy piece of work Lawrence Grobel has done with "Conversations With Brando."

This expanded on the PLAYBOY interview it's adapted from. Brando is a good storyteller, and tells some good stories in here. Grobel does preface the interview with phone call transcripts of him talking to Brando, and his secretary. And I know someone close to Brando, and some in the Brando camp felt some annoyance that Grobel taped the phone conversations without saying they were being taped. A bit presumptuous. But an interesting interview nonetheless.

In 11 interviews from 1960 to 2003, Vidal talks about sex, religion, the movies, politics, literature--in short, everything that makes life interesting. Lots of gems scattered throughout. Vidal is America's greatest living man of letters. Not since Edmund Wilson have we had such a great critic, and the two of them along with H.L. Mencken comprise the three great public intellectuals of 20th-century America. Hear America's greatest public intellectual talk in this new volume. The only disappointment you'll feel is when the conversation runs out at the end.

Being more familiar with Vidal the personality than Gore the author, I was fascinated by this series of interviews that took place over decades. He is incredibly bright, witty and insightful. He is also very consistent in his stories from interview to interview. It was a pleasure to read.

As always, Gore Vidal is direct,honest and penetrating in his perceptions of the American and human cultural experience. Who do we have to fill this gap when he is gone?

Gore Vidal is one of America's wittiest and intelligent commentators (besides a first class novelist and essayist). This collection of interviews given between the years 1960 and 2003 are presented chronologically which allows the reader to watch how Vidal's views and opinions develop and shift. Being a collection of interviews many of the anecdotes get to be a bit repetitious. Other than that, the collection covers a wide range of subjects -- American history, the craft of writing, the state of literature, television, movies, and politics of all kinds. And all subjects, Gore Vidal gives a lot of food for thought.

The evolution of one of America's best writers in the last 20 years is on full display in this wonderful book. It is a series of interviews over the course of almost 20 years that give an amazing insight into the process Brown employed to write his stories. The over riding theme for his writing seems to be putting his characters through some extreme difficulties (or "sandbagging" them) and then seeing how they react. He does this , in my opinion , as well as or better than almost any writer working today. So, if you have read all that he wrote before he died, and want more Larry Brown, this book is well worth the read.

I suppose I'm a bit of a Larry Brown nut; I've read most everything he's penned, and this is a nice addition. It tells about how "it" all happened for him. A recommended "page-turner" for any up-and-coming writer.

This collection of interviews was compiled after Larry Brown's untimely death, when he was only in his early 50's. Though Brown has left us with several books, Jay Watson wanted to honor the man behind the words by putting together some insightful interviews. The wonderful thing to read in these interviews is Brown's work ethic when it comes to writing. By his own estimates, when he was 29, Larry Brown decided that he wanted to become a writer and create books.

Rather than simply sit in classes and workshops and discuss writing, Brown, quite simply, wrote. By his estimates, he wrote close to 100 short stories and 5 novels before he wrote anything worth publishing (or, more accurately, before he could get objective enough about his own work to see that he was finally writing fiction that was worth the attention of others).

If you are looking for a collection of philosophy on writing, you aren't going to find it here like you might in Bledsoe's Getting Naked With Harry Crews, but that's because of how Larry Brown was as a writer--he saw the craft of being a writer as exactly that, a craft, and he worked at it regularly and didn't muse upon it for the benefit of wide-eyed newbies and hopefuls (as well as the benefit of his savings account). Brown wrote, and he took that, quite simply, as his livelihood, just the way he took being a fireman and a forklift operator in a stove factory as his livelihood. This book is mostly inspirational in reading about someone with a sound work ethic rather than a postulator on the art of writing.

Not that Brown is short of any gems. A true student of his craft, Brown is able to quote masters like Flannery O'Connor, but is also able to talk about the essence of tragedy and how his writing works out towards tragedy despite his best efforts, for his grandest search is to look for the truth of humans and his characters. A wonderful piece here is an excerpt from the documentary The Rough South of Larry Brown, an interview with Larry Brown and his wife. Here, we get to see another side of the soft-spoken Brown.

This is deifnitely a must-read for any aspiring writer. It may prove a little depressing to see how much Brown had to work before he could write publishable work, but a touch of reality just the same. Larry Brown will be missed.

This collection of interviews with the author throughout his lifetime is a candid look at the man and his methods. Each interview provides a unique look at the poor background Brown came from and how he taught himself to write over seven years. The origins of many of his novels and stort stories are discussed in his humble North Mississippi manner. He tells both stories of his early struggles and the later success and awards that he's received. I've read a lot of books for aspiring authors on the craft of writing and this was the best by far. He just tells it straight. If you're intrested in Larry, Southern Lit or just what it takes to make it as a writer this book is for you.

What a good premise for a book: an eight-year-old precocious child carrying on a theological conversation with her 73-year-old grandfather --- not just any grandfather but a noted "Reverend Canon Professor..." who has edited a volume on Christian dogmatics. In an introduction, Solveig Lucia Gold explains her book's origin: "It all began on a dark, chilly night, sitting by the fireplace long after my bedtime at [my grandparents'] home in Princeton, New Jersey. I had a theological question to ask my grandfather (Poppi)... Poppi gave a lengthy reply that led me to ask him more theological questions." The next morning her grandmother suggested that further conversations be taped and transcribed "to turn them into a book."

In a second introduction, Dr. Jenson explains that the conversations were "wholly unscripted" and edited ever-so-slightly. Topical subheads have been added (something less than chapter demarcations) to introduce conversational shifts. Occasionally the narration is so conversational that I had to read a sentence twice. But a heavier edit probably would have interfered with the spontaneous and playful tone of the mischievous child, who sometimes teases her grandfather and even brings up Dante and his view of purgatory (which Solveig's father has explained to her).

After starting at the obvious place, a discussion of "the beginning" --- the Genesis creation story, the introduction of sin, the fall of Lucifer --- much of the book follows the whim of a child's curiosity. Christmas is approaching, and Santa Claus --- or the bishop St. Nicholas --- wanders in and out of the conversation, as does the mysterious role and work of the Holy Spirit, as does the first line of a Lenten hymn, about Jesus's temptation in the wilderness: "Forty days and forty nights..."

And yet young Solveig isn't just running at the mouth. Here's her summary of the metaphysical discussion that starts with the question, "Could God make two and two equal five?": "Two plus two is four because God knows it, and he knows it because it is true... If God knows it is true because it is true, he knows that it is true because it is true. But he also knows that it is true because he knows it."

Ultimately Solveig isn't in control of the conversation. Grandfather sometimes cuts in with an authoritative statement, based on the scriptural account or theological tradition. When Solveig proposes that "Jesus has his own thoughts, and God has his own thoughts. They don't think alike --- they do think alike. But Jesus could be watching over one continent, and God could be watching over..." Poppi cuts in with "No, no, no!"

Eventually the book is less randomly structured than at the beginning. The conversation turns to the phrases of the Lord's Prayer and then the Nicene Creed, which Grandpa Jenson (a Lutheran) and Solveig (an Episcopalian) repeat as part of every Sunday service.

A few conversational points --- about seasons of the church calendar, for example, or the wording of the creed --- will be best understood by readers who attend liturgical churches. But there is something here for all Christians --- or skeptics --- from adolescents to grandparents, who read for insight as well as whimsy.

--- Reviewed by Evelyn Bence

I have read both volumes of Robert Jenson's "Systematic Theology" and many of his articles, and I can safely say that Jenson is quite difficult. In fact, I had to read, re-read, and then read again several chapters of Jenson's "Systematic Theology" in order to get a solid grasp of what he was communicating. However, this work brings Jenson down to the lay level and covers issues that are basic yet imperative that all Christians understand.

This book is great, not only because it is Jenson, but also because Solveig (Jenson's granddaughter) asks all the right questions. Moreover, Solveig is a brilliant child in that the questions she asks go right to the heart of the matter. The work is quite basic, but very important in terms of its content. The book covers issues such as Evil, God's Motives, Providence, The Messiah, Communion Practices, the Resurrection, The Lord's Prayer, Lent, the Christian Calendar, Advent, Santa Claus, The Nicene Creed, Prayer, and much, much more.

It took all of 30 to 40 minutes to read the whole text. It is engaging, fun, serious, and just plain educational on many levels. This was a brilliant idea. Moreover, we get a glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century and how he would answer questions that at one time or another, we as Christians have asked. I highly recommend this book!

Robert Jenson is one of the most important Theologians living in the United States. Unfortunately most of his writing is dense and difficult to understand for us mere mortals.

Back when I was in Seminary, I hated it when we were assigned anything by him because of this. However, I have started to enjoy reading short articles by him, even if his books usually make me give up in frustation. I learn a lot when I read his work and even find myself agreeing with him more often than not once I digest it.

So, when I saw this book advertized, I expected that it would either be very good if there was genuine communication or very bad if he talked over her (and our) head. It is with great joy that I report it is the former.

While I bought the book for "Jenson light", I found that while that is certainly there, something arguably more important is there as well. It is a model of Chirstian Friendship between the two authors. The Rev. Dr. Robert Jenson is obviously the senior partner here, but the two authors treat each other with respect, love, and humor as they deal with some very difficult issues. In short, Dr. Jenson treats his granddaughter as a fellow Christian, and not just as a sponge to absorb his considerable knowledge.

I pray that more of this goes on in the church and hope that this book helps serve as a model.

One of America's foremost theologians, Robert Jenson is a wonderful writer whose work is always worth reading. This book, consisting of transcribed conversations with his granddaughter, is an absolute delight. It is warm and humorous, but also profound. It is sweet, but never condescending. Solveig holds her own in the conversations with her grandfather, and he both respects and encourages her thinking. Conversations with Poppi about God is careful theology at its most accessible level, with lots of affection and a twinkle in the eye.

I've always suspected that writers would be the most interesting of all functionaries in the movies, as they're the ones who think it all up in the first place, and this book proves me right. Fascinating, probing glimpses into the hearts and minds of a marvelous collection of writers. Just buy the damn thing.

A marvelous book for writers-- I ordered copies as Christmas presents for all of my writing students.

OK, I'm prejudiced. I read many of these interviews in the versions that were published in the Writers Guild of America's magazine and thought they were terrific. I called up my editor at Heinemann and told her that she should get in touch with Susan Katz and collect them into a book. My editor (who is obviously quite smart) did and it makes a swell book indeed. Katz is a screenwriter talking to screenwriters about writing; she asks questions from the perspective of an insider and gets real answers as opposed to the surfacey stuff you tend to get in shorter newspaper interviews. My favorite? Probably the slightly testy interview with Mike Leigh talking about how he used improvisational input from his cast in creating SECRETS AND LIES. (But then, I'm particularly interested in improv used for writing.) There isn't an ounce of fat in this book. Smart, useful stuff.

This is a collection of interviews with famous screenwriters, such as David Mamet, Tom Stoppard, Callie Khouri, Horton Foote, Anthony Minghella, etc. If you want to really feel as though you, yourself, have had a wonderful conversation with these infamous screenwriters, this is the book for you. Ms. Bullington Katz has an extraordinary talent for asking just the right questions and truly listening to the answers, and I have never read such compelling, engrossing interviews in any book before. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books, writing, movies, tv, and/or just reading a terrifically well written book! I can't wait until she has another book coming out!

I am quite happy with the condition of the book,it was shipped in a timely manner.

This chess book is the only one I know out here that is completely built on interviews on various chess proes. Its date springs from 1994, when legendary Miguel Najdorf was interviewed till Kasparov farewell in Linares last year. In between we really have many interesting people author talked with. I managed to count there are 30 interviews all in all. To my taste, the most interesting ones are: first interview with Garry Kasparov after he beat Anand in 1995, than with Alex Yermolinsky, and with Petra Korchonoi. Most interesting though to me seems the one with Vishy Anand, just after he become Fide World champ in 2000. He brought up some points back then that looks very visionary-like in today chess scene.
Well, its puzzling, but I concluded that actually quality of this book varies at the same way as varies the openess of Jan ten Geuzendams grandmaster interviewers.
Although most of the interviews taken here had been published in New in Chess magazine in last decade, this is still very interesting book, and by reading it one can get a mostely true picture of todays chess folclore.
Recomended for those interesting in chess life and history.

You can't beat this book for those who like to read about the goings on in the world of chess and its top players. higly recommended

The many chess books on the market give the "How to..." and the detailed analyses of games and styles, yet rarely the human side of the player that creates his/her strategy and counterplay.

ten Guezendam compiles disparate interviews that still cohere nicely in this book. I found they could be read in any order and still have enjoyable continuity, especially Kasparov and Kramnik. Buying it mainly for Kasparov, I soon found Kramnik most interesting in his "there is life beyond chess" philosophy.

While becoming active again in the black and white jungle, this book is a great addition to understanding those masters we admire and learn from.

This is a good quality paperback with thick stock that is an easy and informative read. You'll come away from this book more at ease that serious chess and daily life's demands can find balance.