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Narcissism and Character Transformation: The Psychology of Narcissistic Character Disorders (Studies in Jungian Psychology by Jungian Analysts)

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The most surprising fact about the myth of Narcissus as the Greeks told it is that it is not about a mythical man who could not recognize his own reflection. It is about a severe psychological blindness that accounts for many problems that prevent communication between individuals. The Narcissus relates to a 'reflection', his own reflection and by this I mean his inner perception which seems to be an other, not his own reflection. Thought is a reflection. The Roman version added a lonely female counterpart who mourned the loss of male companionship as she repeated the last words of what she heard Narcissus say. Modern individuals may not recognize the 'resonation' within that causes him or her to respond: "Tell me about it!" when their inner 'reflection' is discerned. This is a dreadful condition, and its one that causes many, many relationships to crumble. When Mr. Schwartz writes that the narcissist has a poor sense of history, it would be more meaningful to realize that the narcissist seems to forget very many details of every day life. It can cause immense confusion if one speaks about something that was said or done that the narcissist doesn't remember, because (s)he is almost certain to say something like "you are imagining things, I wouldn't do that. I'm not that sort of person." The book is very readable and thought provoking. Anyone can learn something about how 'projecting' one's 'reflection' or one's 'shadow' without recognizing it occurs. I'm not sure the word 'shadow' is what is rejected, this is a factor of inner perception, a mechanism of 'insight' that is quite difficult to identify. Goethe mentioned that he saw 'not with the eyes of the body, but the eye of the soul'. The fact that what is 'inside' one's own head can seem to be 'out there', outside of one's body is a strange fact to have to deal with, but this book can provide information that is useful. I have worn out my first copy.

My first reading of this book was not very good; however, wondering why I felt this way, I immediately went back to review the contents of this book.

Realistically and honestly considered, I was not prepared for what I was reading; and then, "IT" dawned on me...I was reading about my own family experience...which means I was reading about myself and my own psychology of being.

This Jungian-styled book turned out to be an excellent introductory book for me, and will be remembered by me as the pivotal work that led me into the field of Heinz Kohut's work on Narcissism and Self Psychology...a field I was completely unaware of personally.

The concept of "narcissism" is overloaded with interpretations and Schwartz-Salant concedes this. However, he doesn't clarify the concept much. After having read the book, the concept is still confusing and it carries a multitude of meanings. The book is nevertheless valuable because its many diverging strands of information are thought-provoking. Schwartz-Salant tries a combined Jungian and psychoanalytical point of view (especially Kohut's). This also adds to its cerebral arduousness. Much room is made for different interpretations and misinterpretations of the myth, and this is the books greatest merit. As it concentrates on myth, fairy-tale and dreams, its theoretical pretentiousness is balanced by earthbound products of the psyche. However, the overall impression is of a theoretical growth that has run wild. Schwartz-Salant fails in making a clear-cut presentation of the problem and, to my mind, certain of the conceptions are rather far-fetched. But for therapists and theorists it is a good reference with several fresh suggestions. But if you are a layman traumatized by a narcissist and wants to get some know-how, then this isn't the clearest exposition. This book can hardly be understood without a grounding in analytical psychology. It can be recommended to readers with a keen theoretical interest in the subject. /Mats W

From the introduction: The narcissistic character structure is a pattern that is a link between the personal and the archetypal realms. Accordingly, it is found in any archetypal pattern entering space/time reality, and within any personality structure. The narcissistic character disorder per se is a paradigm of a general structuring of psyche, and studying it is of value not only in dealing with personalities dominated by this condition, but also for understanding its manifestation in various psychological conditions.

From the back cover: For 2,000 years the story of Narcissus' involvement with his own reflection has been a rich source of speculation on the condition and salvation of the human soul. This book, drawing upon a variety of psychoanalytic points of view, throws new light on the issues posed by narcissistic character disorders and the problems of personal identity.

Here is a practical guide to the psychology and the phenomenology of narcissism: what it looks like, what it means and how to deal with it.

Using extensive case material and different versions of the Narcissus myth, the author demonstrates how an understanding of the universal, archetypal patterns that underlie the individual clinical symptoms of narcissism can point the way to a healthy restructuring of the personality -- including a harmonious balance between masculine and feminine.

This book is unique in its scope. Clinically, it focuses on the psychology of envy, rage, exhibitionism, idealization, grandiosity, the need for mirroring, fear of the unconscious, and the ego-Self relationship; it describes the dynamics involved in projection and transference-countertransference; it illustrates the difference between masculine and feminine power; it examines the relationship between body and psyche; and it differentiates between the inner joyful child and a masochistic one.

Mythologically, it shows the importance for individual psychology of not only Narcissus and his female "companion" Echo, but also Osiris, Dionysos, Demeter, Persephone and Hermes Mercurius.

Overall, this book illustrates the process of character transformation, its down-to-earth clinical orientation nicely balanced by an archetypal perspective. It has a vision and a clarity of style that will appeal to both laymen and professional therapists.

Nathan Schwartz-Salant may well be the greatest Jungian writer and clinician of our time. He combines a faithful, enormously insightful relationship to Jung's legacy of archetypal knowledge and the numinous with excellent psychoanalytic insights and skills. The man is clearly some kind of sui generis genius (or at least near genius). In an an often staid and and conformist profession he's clearly a man of real courage and depth--qualities that have enabled to him to confidently venture beyond the scientific materialist paradigm and, in his writings, to exhibit his hard won wisdom honesty and even vulnerability. I can point to a few pages in "Narcissism and Character Transformation" (65-70) to be exact that's worth more than the price of the book. And else could have found in our newfound ubiquity of narcissistic character disorders a redemptive sign that the struggle to erase the difference between this and "the other world" (of numinosity and transcendence) has finnaly been joined in the collective unconscious. He is one major doctor and thinker.

All of Dr. Schwartz-Salant's writings are superb but when it comes to clinical usefulness this book on the narcissistic character disorder and his book on the borderline personality are indispensable classics. Do not be misled by reviewers who fault his exploration of mythical themes or the fact that he doesn't write a lot about how the destructive effects of one or other of these personality types is experience by others (a bogus criticism; he makes their effect upon others plenty clear). Know that he's a true healing adrently trying to teach his fellow therapists and their patients what they truly need to know to reach a deep, lasting, and truly meaningful healing. If I both had the money and lived in the area he would absolutely be the analyst I would want to talk to. In any case, virtually anyone can and will profit greatly from reading this extraordinary book.

This is a true gem. Invaluable to anyone with both clinical and philosophical curiosity about personality formation from a psychoanalytic perspective.

The book has an excellent definition of Narcissism and a map for the almost impossible treatment of the narcissist. The book's flaw is quite simply THE BOOK DOES NOT DEAL WITH THE TOXIC LEGACY OF THE NARCISSIST IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS. This book should only be bought as a companion with a book like "Coping with Infuriating, Mean,Critical People: The Destructive Narcissistic Pattern" by Nina W. Brown. Another companion book might be "The Object of My Affection is in My Reflection; Coping with Narcissists" by Rokelle Lerner. It is sad that the author seems almost oblivious to the wreckage the narcissist creates in the lives of others. The one-sided perspective of this book is unfortunate.

Schwartz-Salant is one of the most thought-provoking Jungians around. He continues and extends Jung's archetypal narratives by exploring deeper links with alchemy, mythology, and other psychodynamics and object relations schools of psychology. In this book, he uses Greek mythology as an exegetic (interpretative) framework to gain clinical insights. This is not such a good idea and resorting to Kohut's work does not counter-balance this deficiency. Greek mythology is limited both by its set of characters and their interactions and by its cultural context. That it is a finished work - cast in the stone of history - makes it static and unable to cope with the dynamics of the hydra of pathological narcissism. A colourful intellectual exercise - but of very litlle clinical use, I am afraid. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".