Acts of Will [Paperback]

E. James Lieberman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1993

Once Freud's most favoured student and associate, Otto Rank came to be reviled by the psychoanalytic establishment that formerly revered him. This biography exposes the hostile, at time libelious treatment of Rank in the standard histories of psychoanalysis and shows him to be a great analytic pioneer of this century. His influence was felt not only by mental health professionals, but also by such artists and writers as Anais Nin, Henry Miller, Paul Goodman and Max Lerner.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 536 pages
• Publisher: University of Massachusetts Press (November 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087023871X
• ISBN-13: 978-0870238710
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,661,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in Milwaukee (1934) to a violinist mother and physician father. The family settled in Oakland post-war. AB, UC Berkeley; MD, UCSF (1958); trained in psychiatry and public health at Harvard (MPH 1963.) To Bethesda in 1963--served in USPHS at NIMH to 1970. Since then practiced psychiatry, mainly psychotherapy, until retirement. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, emeritus, George Washington University.

Married, 2 children with familes. Hobbies: cello: chamber music, chess, Esperanto, nonviolent conflict resolution, swimming, family history. Member, Authors Guild. Long-time book reviewer for Library Journal, ForeWord, Bulletin of the History of Medicine, Metapsychology online.

Became interested in psychologist Otto Rank (1884-1939) and wrote Acts of Will: The Life and Work of Otto Rank, 1985. Paperback with new preface 1993. French and German eds. 1991 & 1997. Edited two classic Rank titles: Psychology and the Soul (1998) and Myth of the Birth of the Hero (2004). See www.ottorank.com

Co-author, with Karen L. Troccoli (daughter): Like it Is: A Teen Sex Guide (1998). With Robert Kramer: The Letters of Sigmund Freud and Otto Rank: Inside Psychoanalysis (January, 2012).

Member: Authors Guild. Board Member: Center on Conscience and War; Jewish Peace Fellowship; Compassion and Choices, National Capital Area.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ACTS of HOPE for the Clinician and the patient, December 25, 1999

By 

Mary Schroy (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Acts of Will (Paperback)

Acts of Will is not only a brilliantly written biography, it is a journey of hope for both therapist and patient. As the new century draws near, it is profoundly telling that now more than ever, the psychology of Otto Rank is so relevant to the world today. Obviously, Rank was far ahead of his time. His teachings of "psychological rebirth" and "concept of will" should be mandatory reading for all mental Health professionals and their patients. Rank's honesty in dealing with his own depression and suicidal thoughts will give the reader much hope that even the most brilliant person can face death, choose life, and make living an Act of Will.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ACTS OF WILL, December 10, 1999

By 

"marott" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Acts of Will: The Life and Work of Otto Rank (Paperback)

Dr. E. James Lieberman's Acts of Will: The Life and Work of Otto Rank is one of the finest histories of the development of psychoanalysis ever written. His meticulous research provides the reader with an opportunity to look into the personal and intellectual life of Otto Rank,the most overlooked and underrated disciple of Sigmund Freud. What I found to be most informative was Dr. Lieberman's description of the interpersonal dynamics among the Committee, Freud's closest colleagues. Dr. Lieberman's masterful work brings the reader into the every day world of the pioneers in the field of psychoanalysis. His descriptions of the personal agendas, politics,personalities, and disagreements among the "Ring" of psychoanalytic pioneers helps those interested in the field of psychotherapy clearly understand the intellectual and political foundations of modern psychology. Acts of Will is superb in its description of the intellectual, economic, and political milieu of Vienna during the first two decades of this century and the influences of these forces on Freud and Rank. The author's treatment of the issue of Rank's own "birth trauma" before and after Rank's departure (exile) from Freud's inner circle allows the reader to come to his or her own conclusions with respect to the genesis of the controversy concerning Rank's "mental health". Acts of Will should be read by every student of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Social Work, as well as anyone interested in the fascinating history of modern psychology.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most authoritative biography of Rank ever published., May 12, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Acts of Will (the Life & Work of Otto Rank) (Hardcover)

Lieberman masterfully illuminates the life and work of Otto Rank, Freud's most brilliant student and co-worker. This book expalins why Ernest Becker and Rollo May consider Rank to be the most dazzling thinker in the early circle around Freud