Customer Reviews

Alfred Adler, the Forgotten Prophet: A Vision for the 21st Century

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This well written, comprehensive book affords the reader the opportunity to understand Adler's concepts and treatment approach. The author documents how Alfred Adler was ahead of his time in his psychological and philosophical ideas; and explains the reasons why Adler is not better known today. This book is interesting because Grey puts Adler into the framework of his time and compares and contrasts his ideas with those of other well known thinkers and psychological practitioners. I believe this book is a "must" for all serious students of Adler as well as those readers who would like to get a fuller understanding of Alfred Adler's forward thinking in the many areas which are relevant for today's society. I am deliberately not being more explicit, so that you may become curious and encouraged to read the book; and find out more for yourself. I think you will find the reward well worth the effort.

This book is a great primer on Adler and his school of thought. Although it discusses in detail Adler's school og psychological thought, what makes the book especially enlightening is how it puts Adler's innovations in a broader context. You get to see the tradition of Freudian psychoanalysis that helped lead to Adler's insights and the ways in which Adler eventually diverged from Freud's school of thought, and you also get to see how many psychologists after Adler, like Dreikurs and Sicher, took his insights even further, and sometimes in different directions. You also get to see how Adler differed from other psychologists of his day and how he related to Freud, especially after his split.

It's not a biography by any means; it is first and foremost a book on psychological theory. But the biological elements and the comparisons with other prominent psychologists, some who agree with Adler and others who don't, help make the theory more enjoyable to read.

This book however is still no substitute for reading Adler's works themselves, especially his case histories.