Customer Reviews

An Introductory Dictionary of Lacanian Psychoanalysis

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Dylan Evans, a Lecturer in Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Brunel and an analysist in private practice in London has written a very helpful dictionary of Lacanian terms and terminology. The Dictionary has both short and more lengthy entries, with the more complicated terms such as the Real, the Symbolic and the Imaginary, the Other, the Mirror Stage, etc., each meriting longer essays of up to two pages. My interest in Lacan is presently primarily in terms of literary theory but the book is perhaps even more suited to someone approaching Lacan from a psychoanalytic angle, as most of the definitions are analyst-oriented. This is not the book from which to "learn Lacan" of course, and there are a number of good introductions available, such as Bruce Fink's and Jean-Michel Rabate's, in addition to the Cambridge Companion to Lacan. Also, beginners would probably be well advised not to start with the Seminars or Ecrits, but with one of these introductions, then moving on to Lacan's writings with this as a good guide through the very ideosyncratic (and shifting over time) vocabulary. I have found this book to be a great help in navigating Lacan!

Just what we all need - a dictionary to help us move toward a better understanding of an often misunderstood thinker. I've seen a number of philosopher-specific dictionaries with varying degrees of success. The Deleuze Dictionary is one of the best, the Derrida Dictionary is not so hot, but this title is right up at the top. I would include it with Bruce Fink's "The Lacanian Subject" as the two essential secondary sources available in English on Lacan.

While the Lacanian Subject is more of a book to read cover-to-cover, this Dictionary, as you might expect, is great for dipping. Often times these types of dictionaries are difficult to use because every term is defined by another term and finding a way in isn't easy. Although that is necessarily the case for some terms, Evan's does a good job allowing the reader to jump in in multiple places.

This is a particularly difficult task because Lacan's terms evolved over time. Evans addresses this by briefly explaining the progression and changes of use and meaning before concentrating on the core issue. It tends to favor later 60s and 70s Lacanian usage over the earlier 50s terminology. This is definitely for the best.

The best recommendation I can give is that I sat down and read three entries on topics I was struggling with and after finishing them, I was not only more clear on their "definitions", but I was able to go back to Lacan directly and put them to use.

If you're interested in Lacan, this is a great resource.

Well formulated, brief and quite inclusive. A good reference book for any Lacan reader and has no equivalent in the market as such. But one wishes if it could have been more comphrehensive and detailed. But as the name suggest it is just intended to be introductiory.

...for any beginner in the field of psychology and Lacanían studies. The best available Lacan dictionary up to date.