F Books

This is a book that every professional working in crisis management or emergency planning should read and keep in their personal library. This recently re-released book is truly a crisis management standard.

I read this book when it was first published more than 15 years ago and decided to re-read it recently as various corporate crises occur or continue. (Who knows what the latest Enron and Arthur Andersen developments will be by the time this review appears?) What sets this book apart from almost all others which discuss the same general subject is the fact that Fink's observations, insights, and recommendations are (if anything) more relevant in 2001 than ever before. How can this be true? My answer is that he correctly emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive and cohesive process which consists of four separate but related components: anticipation and preparation, rapid response, follow-through, and post-event evaluation. For obvious reasons, each is critically important but post-event evaluation has even greater importance (and value) if it guides and informs subsequent anticipation and preparation. In an ideal world, seamless anticipation and preparation will eliminate all crises. In reality, "the best laid plans" can almost instantaneously become irrelevant, if not counter-productive. Presumably, major airlines such as American and United as well as the City of New York (not to mention federal agencies) involved some exceptionally talented people to formulate a number of "What if?" scenaria. And then the events of September 11th occurred. The efforts to formulate such scenaria were not invalidated by those events; nonetheless, as in Hawaii almost 60 years ago, the challenge was for various corporate and governmental entities to respond immediately and effectively, as indeed they did. In time, as with the events which occurred on December 7th, the events which occurred last September will be evaluated even as preventive measures are taken and new scenaria are formulated, as indeed they should be.

Fink organizes his excellent material within 18 chapters which are arranged in a sequence appropriate to the aforementioned components. With meticulous care, he defines various terms (thus providing a nomenclature for crisis management which most readers probably did not have before) while establishing a context within which to illustrate and apply those terms. Of greater value, I think, is the matrix of different perspectives which Fink provides. This strategy reminds me of the way Henry James develops his major characters in various novels. That is, look at a given situation from every possible angle. This Fink does brilliantly as he explains how to measure the nature and extent of a given crisis, decide who must do what immediately, how to manage information (he devotes Chapters 13 and 14 to crisis communications), and how to make the most effective decisions under what are inevitably severe pressures ranging from shock and fear to grief and anger within compressed timeframes. He also includes what he calls "A Catastrophic Quartet" in Chapter 17: case studies of crises involving Ohio Savings and Loan, Union Carbide, Procter & Gamble (Rely Tampon), and Johnson & Johnson (Tylenol). Having reached this point in the book, Fink's reader is already well-prepared to recognize various dos and don'ts within the four case studies.

Who will derive the greatest value from this book? My response is decision-makers in organizations (regardless of size or nature) who realize or at least suspect the importance of having a crisis management program already in place, especially now. Noteworthy is the fact that the same observations, insights, and recommendations which Fink shares in this book are as relevant to "catastrophes" involving loss of intellectual property as they are to situations in which there is loss of human life and/or destruction of physical property. Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Ian Mitroff's Managing Crises Before They Occur and The Essential Guide to Managing Corporate Crises (in that order) as well as Peter Schwartz's The Art of the Long View. The subtitle of this book stresses the importance of "planning for the inevitable." I could not agree more.

When I "suffered" my own Management Crisis back in 1994, I turned to my library collection to see if there was anything there to help me. I found Stephen Fink's "Crisis Management" and started to impliment his suggestions. What transpired, not only helped me deal with the immediate issue, but started a course of action that I still employ today.

Based on my own experience, and finding that others in my profession have felt lost in their crises, I started to give presentations, using Fink's text as my guide.

I encourage anyone who's in busisness, management, or in some decision making role in an organization, to get a copy for themselves, and pass it on to your colleageues. I also encourage libraries to add this to their collections.

As the subtitle suggests, Crises are inevitable, so why not "be prepared?"

Fink's "yellow book" is still one of the most comprehensive and well-built guide for crisis related subjects. Its systematic approach and case-analyze supported explanations provides readers to understand the issue well

This book covers the subject of Crisis Management with factual review and analysis. It gives practical examples of do's and don'ts while keeping the reader's attention. Anyone dealing with crises, even in their personal life, would do well to read this book. This one goes on my library shelf to keep!

Great and informative book. Puts a lot of the problems now faced in the west into their context. Covers a lot of land history in the west not generally covered in school, but definately not a dry read!

A very though look at the major issues dividing westerners today. Looks at ranching, water, and logging in a very readable style. Do not loan this one out because it NEVER get returned. The only downfall is that this book is already dated because of the rise of the Wise Use movement.

An excellent rendition of how western law had transformend the American West into a land for humans, filled with dam after dam. Wild salmon have no where to go. Laws seem to be more powerful than Nature!

Wilkinson offers a balanced account of the forces that created the law and policy of the American West, and also of the forces that keep those outdated policies active in a very different West. As a native of Colorado, it was apparent that Wilkenson has spent a great deal of time in the American West and truly understands the complex issues that the region faces today. Very well researched, very easy to read.

A very scholarly, but accessible, history of the development of the West and the social/political/economic structures that shaped land, water and resource rights there. In particular, Wilkinson is addressing the notorious Hardrock Mining Act of 1872 (still in effect), the distribution of land and grazing rights, the fisheries of the Pacific Northwest, and the timber industry. His analysis of the Lords of Yesterday - his term for the antiquated statutes that govern those industries - is very convincing. The book's only weakness is that this is a 1992 text (presumably researched in the decade previous) that doesn't reflect changes in the laws and political pressures over the past decade. It would benefit from a new edition.

A must own for any Lucky Luke fan... 40 minutes of sheer reading pleasure... and as always the aboslutely best graphics!

This is another installment in the hugely popular Lucky Luke series. These English-language editions by 9th Cinebook got my 12-year-old hooked into the Lucky Luke series. The books tend to present a historical situation or event (the discovery of oil, the range wars between ranchers and farmers, etc.) in a humorous, yet educational, light. A fun aspect of the Lucky Luke books is Luke's fictional interactions with real-life personalities from the Old West: Billy the Kid, The Dalton Gang, Jesse James, Calamity Jane and others.Yakari and Great Eagle (Yakari S.)Yakari and the Beavers (Yakari)

lucky luke has got to be one of the best comics in the world. asterix and tintin are good but ive read them tons of times since I was a kid. Lucky Luke is just fantastic. Every one of the comics is really nice, quite funny, somewhat historical. The horse is too cute, the way he talks and his antics.

Its a pity there are less than 10 of these in print in english. The publisher is slowly releasing 3-4 each year now and I hope to collect all of them.

If you liked Asterix, dont hesitate, buy all of the Lucky Luke's they are just fabulous. Dont have to bother about which title, they are all good.

Another good book for a Goscinny fan.

Goscinny, yet again, tells a nice humorous story about the "poor lonesome cowboy" who is really a long way from home in this adventure as he is held prisoner by the deadly Dalton brothers. But our hero has his own schemes to outsmart the Daltons and get rid of a bunch of other no-good-doers at the same time. Joly Jumper is very funny as always. A nice wonderful story.

Daniels' book demonstrates that American Sign Language isn't just for deaf students. Citing numerous research studies, many conducted by Daniels herself, this book gives solid evidence as to why and how ASL supports literacy in hearing children. Best of all, Daniels offers practical strategies for use in the early elementary and preschool classroom.--Kathy MacMillan, author of Try Your Hand at This: Easy Ways to Incorporate Sign Language into Your Programs

This book is an excellent review of why and how signing with hearing children works to build literacy skills (and many, many other skills as well!). I highly recommend this book for early childhood educators and parents!!!!!

I started using sign language while teaching kindergarten years ago just for fun. The kids loved it. Now I know why! This book is great for teachers and parents. If you have a young child having trouble with spoken or written English, GET THIS BOOK! Also get it just for fun, to learn with a best friend, to communicate with someone who is deaf, to enrich your knowledge of human iconography, symbolism and to learn about the history of language. A great book, easy to read, perfect amount of detail, lots of references. (This book is for adults - and includes lots of ideas to use with kids...)

Dr. Marilyn Daniels has written an exceptional book which should be read by parents/guardians of young children, want-to-be parents, day care providers, and teachers of the young. As the foremost researcher on Sign's benefits for hearing kids, not only does she write about her own research, but the research others have done with Sign and hearing kids too. The book's title seems somewhat limiting, because it also mentions the many other benefits Sign has been found to have for hearing kids - even if they never use it with the deaf. Daniels also points out that parents and teachers who teach kids Sign often feel they, the parents and teachers, benefit too. And the book has a chapter on how teachers can easily learn Sign to teach their students, and a chapter on how parents can easily learn Sign to teach it to their kids.

I have just finished reading this book and I cannot wait to get it into the hands of my kid's teachers (and administrators). I am currently learning sign and so are my kids. Although none of my children are ADD or ADHD I know that some of their classmates are. The book suggests that sign encourages a healthier classroom environment as all the children are ACTIVELY participating in the learning process. The ADD/ADHD kids are actually calmer and all students are learning more. (Less wear and tear on the teachers!) By learning ASL we are also encouraging communication with the Deaf. The Deaf cannot hear, so why do we exclude them and expect them to learn our language? We have the opportunity to begin to change the world our children live in, one sign at a time. That is something to think about.

Gregory Michno has written what will surely become the reference work on hell ship voyages. Impeccably referenced throughout, with a bibliographic section that will keep me busy for years chasing up articles referred to in his research notes. Gregory draws on recently declassified American and Japanese records of their combined activities and inhumanities committed during desperate times - A master of his topic, with objective analysis revealing that neither side was truly innocent in creating hell on the high seas. At times a harrowing, poignant read. This is a 'must have' book for anyone interested in WWII history.

Author Michno covers a subject that has been neglected in World War II history, namely prisoners of war held on Japanese ships on the Pacific Ocean. The book is over 300 pages of the depressing conditions that POW's faced at the hands of the Japanese on their hellships. Prisoners who were deprived of water, food, and sanitary conditions and subjected to executions by their captors make for a very hellish read. It appears that those who survived were those who developed an intense hatred for their captors. Those who felt sorry for themselves were not among the survivors. This is a subject that has apparently been neglected in World War II history and the author says the Japanese continue to deny or cover up their atrocities. I found it difficult to continue reading such horrific treatment of human beings for over 300 pages, but, nevertheless, this is a story that has been needed to be told.

Death On The Hellships: Prisoners At Sea In The Pacific War is a sobering, comprehensive, superly written and accurate survey of life and death as an Allied prisoner of war aboard the Japanese submarines, under conditions as hellish as any concentration camp. More that 126,000 prisoners were transported on these hellships with more than 21,000 fatalities, due to beatings, starvation, disease, and worst of all, friendly fire. The statistics lead author Gregory Michno to conclude that it was more dangerous to be a prisoner on Japanese hellships than to be an active U.S. marine in the campaign. Disturbing in its detail, Death On The Hellships is a vivid and unforgettable reminder of the horrors of war and an invaluable contribution to 20th Century military history collections.

"Death on the Hellships" is a classic in research and documentation. Cross referencing from American records at the National Archives, interviews with Allied POWs who survived these nightmarish voyages, and the convoy records of the Japanese, Michno reveals a picture of depravity and horror. The sad truth is that the American Intelligence knew of almost convoy and merchant ship movement through spies and code breaking. Military intelligence even knew the cargo, including ships containing POWS. It was a "dirty little secret" that is only now available from the declassified records. A deliberate decision was made to withhold the fact from submarine commanders that specific ships and convoys contained prisoners. The decision was made "to sink them all" rather than take a chance the Japanese would realize their codes were broken. Submarine commanders, pledged to lifelong secrecy, knew the location and course of almost every Japanese ship. Many jokingly complained that, "The Japanese ship was ten minutes late.," before he was sunk. Michno masterfully documents and relates the experiences of those who suffered in the Hellships as they were carried to serve as slaves for Japanese industrial companies who now snub any thought of an apology or compensation. A compelling and well written classic for the bookshelf of any historian.

Gregory Michno's "Death on the Hellships: Prisoners at Sea in the Pacific War" is a harrowing account of one of the nearly forgotten stories of World War Two - the experiences of Allied POW's aboard Japanese transport ships. These prisoners, most of them captured during the early months of the war in the Pacific, passed through nearly unimaginable horrors, brutally mistreated by their captors, subjected to starvation, beatings, and deprivation of water, and held in crowded, grossly unsanitary conditions. And they often fell victim to Allied torpedoes and bombs. More than 20,000 Allied POW's died at sea, most of them when the transport ships carrying them were attacked by U.S. submarines and aircraft. Although Allied headquarters often knew of the presence of POW's aboard vessels targeted for attack through radio interception and code breaking, the general policy was to sink the ships anyway, evidently on the basis that the interdiction of critical strategic materials was more important in the long run than the deaths of prisoners-of-war.

"Death on the Hellships" is a veritable Dante's Inferno at sea, the tragedies chronicled month by month. Michno's research into previously classified records and with survivor first-hand accounts far surpasses that of anyone who has touched upon this topic before, and he deserves great credit for rescuing this important story before it was lost forever in the fog of the past. It is not a tale for the faint-hearted. Although the subject covers too broad a time and geographical area to permit in-depth narratives of every prison ship voyage, Michno does provide a wealth of survivor stories illustrating the experiences of these unfortunate men and women. Anyone who reads the history of this tragic episode of modern war will not soon forget it.

This book makes a good technical companion to Kahn's historic treatment in 'The Code Breakers'. It covers the technology up through the advent of computers. Its treatment is technical, going into details about how an encryption technique is performed, and how it is attacked. This book is the first place where I've seen the Enigma machine described in enough detail to understand how it works (or they worked since there were many variations and many of them are discussed here), and how to actually build (or simulate) one. It's a big book, and I carried it around for months, sometimes just diving into a chapter or topic. I loved it.

This book is the best book I have found so far on mathematical cryptology. Although the author does a fairly sketchy treatment of DES and IDEA compared to some other books out there, I feel that he makes up for it by placing all of the most common cryptographic systems in the context of a coherent and rigorous mathematical framework. Many other cryptology books fail to tie all the various cryptographic methods together using the powerful tools of modern mathematics. Dr. Bauer's text however, leaves no question in the student's mind where all the techniques fit into the theoretical framework. The second half of the book is also a pleasant surprise: a very readable but mathematically rigorous explanation of cryptanalysis. The author presents a number of statistical methods of attack that are difficult to find all in one place in the open literature. Dr. Bauer does a thorough job of explaining and augments the theory with many examples. This thorough treatment of cryptanalysis distinguishes his book from many other books on cryptology. Many authors of cryptology books pay lip-service to Kerckhoff's maxim (Only a cryptanalyst can judge the security of a crypto system.) but few bring the student enough cryptanalytic knowledge to even begin to evaluate the crypto systems presented in their books. Dr. Bauer does an excellent job of balancing cryptography with cryptanalysis. I highly recommend this book for any serious student of Cryptology. It is a real gem.

I read this book in the original German (even though reading in German is still a labor for me), and the effort was amply rewarded. This book is a first course in cryptography, at the upper undergraduate or beginning graduate level. Its competition would be books like Denning's or Beker and Piper or Koblitz' series. Denning's book is still great and worth buying (and Ms. Denning is a wonderful, accomplished, and intelligent person), but Bauer is more modern and complete. Koblitz' books are all first rate, but Bauer stays on the task of cryptology much more exactly and usefully. This is the basis of an excellent course in several German universities, especially in Munich. If I taught another course purely on cryptography (and not as part of a larger math curriculum---where Koblitz' book is best), I would certainly use this as the text. However, even though this is best, I really think everyone should still buy, read, and treasure Ms. Denning's book, Cryptology, too. (A true classic is never actually superseded.) Buy Bauer. It is better than an existing classic. While I don't have the English version yet, and cannot, therefore, vouch for the quality of the translation, I think that Springer Verlag is such a reliable editor that we can both trust that the translation will be good before we even see it.

This is an amazing book, and relatively inexpensive; Springer-Verlag has done it again.

Rather than being a dry recitation of encryption and cryptanalysis schemes, Bauer provides a great deal of information about what actually goes wrong when one tries to construct a cipher that must be used under pressure by non-cryptologists, with plenty of historical examples to illustrate his points. And he discusses at some length the ways in which cryptanalysts can hope to unravel ciphers and codes too strong to be broken by standard methods. Much of what he has to say I had never seen in print before; some of it was brand new to me. Perhaps it helps that Bauer is German, and doesn't have to write with the uneasy feeling that NSA or MI-6 is looking over his shoulder at every line he writes. For example, his explanation of how Robert Murphy compromised an American cipher in WW II so badly that the Germans could read it easily is one that I think some American officials would probably still prefer not to have in print.

Despite comments by other reviewers and by Cryptologia, I think it requires a certain mathematical sophistication to absorb much of the material in this book. The math is not hard, but Bauer implicitly assumes a mathematical mindset and a familiarity with the terminology of pure mathematics that most college undergraduates don't have. So I wouldn't choose it as the primary text for a first course in cryptology, but I would certainly use it as a supplementary text. I know of no other book that contains so much material on the practical realities of cryptology.

The book is full of very good and interesting technical information. The part on cryptanalysis is rather new and informative. The history part is mostly taken from Khan's book (you'll find some pictures in both) so there is nothing really new in this area

I have solved many mysteries of Depression Era Glass patterns on unmarked pieces through the use of this wonderful, well documented guide. Although this guide presents a small insert of colored pictures the bulk of the pages provide "drawings" in black and white which are actually quite helpful in determining the pattern you are matching. In addition, pattern names, manufacturers and years of manufacturing are provided.

As a dealer I find the value guides helpful and they are separated by item category, color and value range. The author is honest enough in the introduction to advise you to depend on other references for value accuracy in the ever changing market, particularly with the advent of internet auctions. This book has been extremely helpful as a reference guide and is a welcome addition to my glassware book library.

I found that the values were very helpful, but since mostly all that was shown pattern-wise was the plate, it was a bit difficult for me to identify some other pieces.

I have many other books that show depression glass and all of them are great. But this book shows the patterns in line drawings. Sometimes pictures of glass patterns are not as clear as they could be. This book shows a drawing of each pattern and lets you really study it. I found it very helpful in sorting out the initial confusion that new comers sometimes have. Now that I am an 'old pro', I still find myself using this book just to be on the 'safe' side.

Now in an expanded and fully updated fourth edition, Depression Era Glassware Identification And Value Guide, glassware specialist Carl F. Luckey is a straightforward guide enabling the reader to competently and confidently recognize and fairly price classic works of 1930s glassware artifacts. While most of the glassware illustrations are in simple black and white, Depression Era Glassware is impressively enhanced with an insert section of superb color photography, all combine to present a variety of patterns from the era in unmistakable relief. The price guide is extensive and lists price ranges for individual pieces of varying sizes. Depression Era Glassware is an excellent, indispensable, authoritative resource for dealers and collectors.

As a new collector of depression era glass, I found this book to be incredibly helpful with identification. The line drawings are clear - the reader has no doubt of the pattern (sometimes photos can be unclear due to the nature of glass). I also appreciate the value ranges given and, of special value to me, each pattern has info on what pieces have been reproduced or reissued.

I was a student of his many years ago. The book is not nearly as great as the man. He was a rare professor.

On the book, it is well laid out, progresses well and a distinct asset to the language learner.

I received the book in three working days. Book was in great condition and the price was lower than I had expected to pay.

Mailed and recieved in the time they said. The book is in great condition, the price was even better.

The book is one of the "classics" of introductory level German. I used this book for a college level class and now find myself referencing it as I complete more advanced level classes and prepare to move to Germany. The authors do a great job of simplifying the grammatical points of the German language in clear everyday language. They also use many examples throughout the explanations to clearly illustrate the key grammar concept. I also appreciated the mini-review at the end of each chapter, as well as the list of the grammar concepts in the index. Finally, the list of valuable idiomatic expressions and relevant sayings is helpful to the student in many normal everyday situation whether it be in a classroom or in a normal everyday situation. All in all, it was and is a valuable learning tool!

I bought this book to use with my German 101 and 102 classes, and it was extremely helpful. The writing style was, if not absolutely gripping, easy to get through, and the information was plentiful and well laid out. The accompanying website was also useful. The only problem I have with this book is that at the beginning of each chapter are a few dialogues using grammar that hasn't yet been learned. It would've made more sense to put those dialogues at the end of the chapters, in my opinion. That's more annoying than anything, and doesn't hurt the content or student's learning rate at all. I'd recommend this to any beginning German student.

I am a clinical psychologist, and have recommended this book over and over again. Its the one guide I have seen that covers how to answer questions in developmentally appropriate ways for all ages of children. The author understands how kids of different ages think and what they are likely to be feeling most intensely. What a wonderful guide, and well written!

I spotted this book in the library and picked it up. As I began to read, I felt as if the authors knew my own 8-year-old daughter. I was very impressed. So many of the topics covered hit very close to home. It was very reassuring to read.

A wonderful Guide for any parent faced with their Childrens questions, at any age, at the time of a divorce. When you bearlty know the anwers to some of your own questions concerning the divorce,"Difficult Questions Kids Ask About Divorce" is a must have for you.

It answer questions the cover a wide range of subject and ages. I f you are going through a divorce or concerning one due yourself and your children a favor and get this book.

This book is great. I didn't realize what exactly was going on in my situation, so I didn't start reading these books until my husband was out of the house, living with his girlfriend. It would be a great book to read prior to anyone moving out, but also good for my situation. Very helpful.

Kids are the ones that hurt the most in a divorce. They don't have the coping skills to deal with the trauma some of these cherubs experience. They can't comprehend the various facets of divorce. Therefore, this book will help parents and grandparents explain about divorce and resolve those difficult feelings or questions the children may have.

For anyone interested in psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy - a must read, although it is a huge book. It spurred the overdue re-examination of the history of psychoanalysis and the decline of the psychoanalytic mythology that Freud spoon-fed to his followers. It also assisted in the rediscovery of the forgotten achievements of 19th century psychotherapy - hypnosis (animal magnetism or mesmerism), dissociation and hysteria (post-traumatic stress and multiple personalities), and the associated thinkers: Breuer, the young Freud, Nietzsche, Myers, Janet, Braid, and so on. For readers today, it also is a powerful andidote to the widespread and facile crutches of drugs, cookbook diagnostic categories, and misplaced biological analogies.

Read it together with Adam Crabtree's From Mesmer to Freud.

Psychiatrist and historian Henri Ellenberger's monumental reconstruction of how depth psychology developed and flourished in our century is essential reading for psychotherapists and other psychoanalytically inclined readers. "Depth psychology" is that specialized branch of psychotherapy that concerns itself with the phenomenology of the "unconscious." Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler is, as Ellenberger explains, "commonly credited with having coined the [German term] Tiefenpsychologie (depth psychology)." The author points out, for instance, how the predominance during the nineteenth century of the organic or somatogenic model in psychopathology (which scientifically sought to replace medieval demonology with a more rational mythology) took a direct hit with the publication in 1895 of Studies on Hysteria by Freud and the Viennese physician Josef Breuer. Assimilating the findings of Franz Anton Mesmer, French physicians A.A. Liebault, Hippolyte Bernheim, Jean Charcot, and Pierre Janet--as well as psychological precursors like Kant, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, C.G.Carus and Eduard von Hartmann--Freud and Breuer put forth a powerful argument for a psychogenic (or primarily psychological) model of mental illness, based on the hypothesized existence of the "unconscious." There are also substantial chapters covering the immense contributions of C.G. Jung and Alfred Adler among many others. In this day of "fast food" therapy, in which the unconscious is typically completely ignored, Ellenberger's classic study is a much-needed reminder of what the pioneering founders of psychotherapy discovered, and what we, their twenty-first- century offspring, cannot afford to forget.

Ellenberger's "The Discovery of the Unconscious" was a textbook for a graduate course I took in the philosophy of psychoanalysis. I remember admiring it while I read through it at the time and then setting it aside until the moment came to work my way through it again. The time having come, I worked through this massive book again, and it has aged quite well.

Ellenberger surveys the entire history of the movement we know of as "dynamic psychiatry." The strength of the text, however, is Ellenberger's engaging and thoughtful portraits of the movement's key players: Janet, Freud, Adler, and Jung.

I find myself drawn repeatedly to the portrait of Mesmer and his life and times. Mesmer remains one of the most fascinating figures in history to me, half a wizard and half an entertainer. In reviewing his life, it is almost impossible to separate fact from fiction. I know of no author who treats Mesmer as well as Ellenberger.

Ellenberger's outstanding essay on Jung serves as a primary source for those interested in the interplay of Jung's personality and his ideas. Ellenberger reportedly had a close relationship with Jung and was able to have him personally review some of the material that served as early drafts of this chapter.

The best part of Ellenberger's treatment of Jung is his reminder that Jung was a practical person and that Jungian therapy is often focused exclusively on the practical aspects of the patient's life and circumstances. All too often, there is a view of Jung as a mystic, allied with attempts to place his work in some New Age container. This inappropriate approach is contradicted by Jung's writing, teaching, and practice. In fact, only for some patients, mostly those in the second half of life who faced questions of meaning, would Jung begin with his synthetic-hermeneutic method. For patients dealing with commonplace neurotic symptoms, Jung often used an approach that Ellenberger describes as Adlerian: find out what life task the patient is trying to avoid and remove the obstacle.

Ellenberger's reminder of Jung's essential groundedness is useful, as many of us either forget or ignore this aspect of Jung's theory and therapy. Another thread I found interesting is Ellenberger's treatment of the reasons that Jung rejected experimental psychology, in spite of having spent years working with the association test.

Ellenberger does an excellent job of exploring how the personalities and preferences of each psychologist affected his work and theories. In Ellenberger's treatment of Adler, I found myself fascinated by how much we do not know of his life and of how many holes remain to be filled in. Perhaps because of my own predilections, I did not find the discussions of Janet and Freud all that interesting.

This is a massive book. At first glance it seems intimidating. However, anyone with an interest in the exporers of the land known as the unconscious will find it an engaging read.

This book is the type of history that students rarely get to see. Textbooks tend to repeat the same old stories, many of which are only loosely based on the facts. This book goes into great depth, and even shows that many famous "cures" were nothing of the sort. This should be required reading for psychotherapists, and more importantly, for their clients.

I am a Jungian analyst in training in Zurich, Switzerland. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is extraordinarily well-researched, organized and written. The book unfolds with a subtle drama as all the roots of contemporary psychotherapy are slowly revealed. Analysts are fond of the conceit, "Freud discovered this," or "Jung discovered that." This book beautifully discloses the truth that Freud and Jung actually "discovered" very little. Rather, they skillfully organized and packaged ideas about the unconscious that had been in the air for some time. This book takes nothing away from Freud and Jung's achievements; rather it puts them firmly within their historical context and shows the discovery of the unconscious as a gradual unfolding of awareness instead of a eureka discovery by a handful of men. Ellenberger deserves our great thanks for this lifetime, tour de force work of his.