In the Freud Archives

IncludesanafterwordbytheauthorIntheFreudArchivestellsthestoryofanunlikelyencounteramongthreemen:K.R.Eissler,thevenerabledoyenofpsychoanalysis;JeffreyMoussaieffMasson,aflamboyant,restlessforty-two-year-oldSanskritscholarturnedpsychoanalystturnedvirulentanti-Freudian;andPeterSwales,amischievousthirty-five-year-oldformerassistanttotheRollingStonesandself-taughtFreudscholar.AtthecenteroftheirOedipaldramaaretheSigmundFreudArchives--founded,headed,andjealouslyguardedbyEissler--whosesealedtreasuregleamsandbeckonstothecommunityofFreudscholarshipasifitweretheRhinegold.JanetMalcolm'sfascinatingbookfirstappearedsometwentyyearsago,whenitwasimmediatelyrecognizedasarareandremarkableworkofnonfiction.Astoryofinfatuationanddisappointment,betrayalandrevenge,IntheFreudArchivesisessentiallyacomedy.ButthepowerfulpresenceofFreudhimselfandtheharshbracingairofhisideasaboutunconsciouslifehoveroverthenarrativeandgiveitatragicdimension.