Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe cycle of humiliation, revenge, and counter-revenge is a central paradigm which plagues our species. Finally there is a fascinating study of this all too human phenomenon which draws on the insights of child development, psychoanalytic experience, great literature, and biological considerations. Written by premier clinicians and theoreticians, this book is both very rich in ideas and is very readable. Therapists at all levels of experience will learn much from this text and become more able to address these issues in treatment. -- Ira Brenner, MD, Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia
Revenge is a ubiquitous human emotional experience, frequently fantasized, sometimes enacted, and yet it is all too rarely examined in depth. This book explores the relationship of revenge with narcissistic injury, rage, and retaliation. Sandwiched between an extensive overview of the topic by Akhtar and a critical examination of theories of aggression with case examples by Parens are eight excellent papers that range from relevant clinical case reports to literary and biopsychocultural perspectives. Indeed, as these contributors underline, the feeling of revenge can be either an adaptive response or pathological especially when enacted. Readers will gain in knowledge and therapeutic skills by delving into this stimulating and very worthwhile book. -- Mary Kay O'Neil, PhD, Canadian Psychoanalytic Association
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Chapter 1: Revenge: An Overview Salman Akhtar, MD Chapter 2: Green Wounds: Revenge as Preserver of the Self Kerry Kelly Novick, AB, BA Chapter 3: Revenge and Reparation: Thoughts About the Treatment of a Boy and His Family Barbara Shapiro, MD Chapter 4: ‘As the Twig is Bent, So Grows the Tree’: Reparation, Rage, and Resynthesis Daniel M.A. Freeman, MD Chapter 5: Revenge and Reparation: Loss and Restitution Frederick Fisher, MD Chapter 6: The Spectrum of Narcissistic Transferences Otto Kernberg, MD Chapter 7: Cautionary Tales: A Private Practitioner’s Experience Treating Severe Narcissistic Pathology Melvin Singer, MD Chapter 8: Three Literary Characters in Search of Revenge Eve Holwell, BA Chapter 9: The Ubiquitous Nature of Revenge: Biopsychocultural Perspectives Rao Gogenini, MD, and April Fallon, PhD Chapter 10: Narcissism, Rage, and Revenge: Concluding Commentary Henri Parens, MD Addendum References Index About the Editors and Contributors
