From Booklist
In her eighth book, renowned German psychologist Kast explores the maturation process as revealed in fairy tales. Such tales, she argues, tell us as dreams might how to negotiate the difficulties of truly separating from our parents and making our own individuated lives. Fears, anxieties, and neurotic symbioses must be conquered; infatuation must die to leave room for real relationships. Kast's analyses are sharp and literary. She has a quick eye for repeating motifs and their hidden messages. "The Lad Who Feared Nothing" (an Icelandic tale), for instance, reveals how human failings are to be acknowledged rather than denied. Fearless to the point of recklessness, the lad becomes a hero but an inhuman one. Only when he's forced to confront his own "backside" (literally--his head has been cut off and put on again backwards) does he learn the humility necessary to become truly human. Kast chooses unusual tales for her analysis, tells them well, and extracts useful insights. Pat Monaghan
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
