The Survival Papers: Essential Studies in Jungian Psychology by Expert Analysts - Explore Deep Insights for Personal Growth & Therapy

This short, intelligent, often amusing little Jungian volume presents us with the case of Norman -- who, as we discover, is more of a composite than a specific individual. This doesn't alter the value & insight of the book in the least. As author Daryl Sharp says, while there may not be an actual person named Norman, there are millions very much like him.By employing this literary conceit, Sharp proceeds to lay out the methods, struggles, obstacles, and breakthroughs of the analytical process. He uses examples from his own life as a counterpoint to Norman's ongoing story, which allow us to see the man at midlife both from the moment of crisis & with the benefit of 20 years of hindsight. Sharp manages to delve into a wealth of dense, complex psychological material in a deceptively simple manner, using concrete examples to illuminate the stages of the process.One word of warning: I say "stages of the process" as a shortcut; the actual process is nothing so clearcut & identifiable by definite benchmarks. As Sharp explains, analysis is a much an art as it is a science, perhaps even moreso: while he brings years of experience & specialized knowledge to the work, intuition is also involved. The analyst sometimes has to take chances, without knowing if they'll bear fruit or not. The patient has to be willing to take similar chances. This is no easy, by-the-numbers task!For anyone approaching midlife, or for anyone whose significant other is approaching midlife, this is an invaluable guide to understanding what lies ahead. Ideally, readers should follow it by Sharp's second book on the subject, "Dear Gladys" -- where "The Survival Papers" deals with the first crucial year of analysis, "Dear Gladys" deals with the second year, which is rather different for anyone who has moved forward to that point.Highly recommended!