Being Lived by My Life

The subsidiary title of this book is "A sort of biography"; and the publisher's note describes it as "a new departure in auto-biography". Both these claims are true. Dr. Berg, an analyst and the author of several technical works, has chosen to write his autobiography in much the same style as one might expect to hear a life story from the analyst's couch. How far he has succeeded, and how far he has avoided the "blocking" is a matter for interested speculation; but he has produced an original and, for the most part, interesting book. As could be expected in this type of presentation, there are sections which are tedious to the reader, however significant to the author. But this is more than offset by some stimulating and valuable passages in which he describes, and illustrates, his growing philosophy as an individual, a doctor and a psychotherapist. His comments on the function and nature of psychotherapy are Worth careful study. His book ends with a remarkably succinct Glossary. Few will quarrel with the majority of his definitions; but they may wonder why a number of quite widely known words required inclusion and definition here. The impression is that this book was written essentially for the author's own personal satisfaction rather than with an eye on publication; but it is none the worse a book for this. Indeed it gives a very human appeal.