Customer Reviews

The Many Faces of Eros: A Psychoanalytic Exploration of Human Sexuality

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Joyce McDougall's work reminds me of Otto Kernberg's in that she is determined to examine subjective experience through close adherence to classical Freudian theory. However much one thinks that theory no longer applies, at least in those dusty metaphors, her use of it (like Kernberg's) illuminates areas of psychic experience that other psychoanalytic theory can't touch. Moving, clear-sighted, strange, and loving, McDougall's work is essential reading for anyone with an interest in coming to terms with inexorably perverse modes of interacting with the world. My only caveat is that case illustrations tend to be unnecessarily rigid and at times withholding in their presentation (though they also seem unfailingly honest).

This book epitomises the trajectory of Joyce Mcdougall 's journey in human sexuality.It is an eye-opener...

From reading McDougall's book I came to learn about modern psychoanalytic approaches to(explanations of) human sexuality. The book consists of two different kinds of content "general theory" and "cases". The general theory is statements that deal with how and why the child and adolescent come form sexual attitudes and behaviour. McDougall transformed some of my understanding here since I had a quite roughly hewn image of psychoanalytical (Freudian) ideas of the child's development. Whether or not my image was stereotypical or if its Freud's theories who're simple I have no way of knowing - since the only Freudian texts I've read are "Leonardo da Vinici" and a transcript of the "Woman as castrated man" lecture.

However, McDougall's theory (sections) is a bit more allowing and seems to be more adequate, when I compare with my own experience. Her cases are mixed: one about a woman and the subsequent analysis of her dreams - an analysis which, among other things delved into some French etymology was a bit lost on me. But, the others were better. One about a man that only wanted to have sexual relations with women who had been with men of dark complexion was very interesting.

The analysis of homosexuality, bisexuality, and perhaps especially the analysis of the relationship between neurosis and creativity was interesting. (I liked the notion that the artist's _oeuvre_ could be compared to children "a child of the mind", explaining that many artists (writers) have children late in life or not at all).