Dr. Haldane has successfully presented his readers with a short, highly readable book. The book is comprehensive and far-reaching in its purpose, yet it is elegant and well written. I have found that my psychology students and colleagues alike, found the book to be one that they can use in their everyday life and practice. There seems to be a consensus among the readers that I have spoken to, that the author has successfully demonstrated both the theory and practice of working with the emotions. That is, the manner in which the author demonstrates the dynamics of the 4 major emotions--joy, anger, fear and grief--does not only make a great deal of common sense, but also allows for a richness of the theory of emotions to evolve. Finally, his theory is practical in that the reader can easily apply his or her new-found understanding.

Wilhelm Reich was many things in his lifetime- a student of Freud, a political activist, a research scientist, and an inventor. His work was decades ahead of its time and is finally being rediscovered and reevaluated by the public. If, like me, you are interested in Reich and his work, you might want to check out a novel called We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. it draws heavily on Reich's theories, particularly Listen Little Man and The Mass Psychology Of Facism. It's a great introduction to Reich's work and the entire novel draws heavily on his theory. It's very interesting watching an author explore his theories in a fictional setting. Well worth reading.

Wilhelm Reich was many things in his lifetime- a student of Freud, a political activist, a research scientist, and an inventor. His work was decades ahead of its time and is finally being rediscovered and reevaluated by the public. If, like me, you are interested in Reich and his work, you might want to check out a novel called We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. it draws heavily on Reich's theories, particularly Listen Little Man and The Mass Psychology Of Facism. It's a great introduction to Reich's work and the entire novel draws heavily on his theory. It's very interesting watching an author explore his theories in a fictional setting. Well worth reading.

The above mentioned slogan based on his works is perhaps the only thing that will rest of the theories of Wilhelm Reich, a very popular author in the nineteen sixties.
Charles Rycroft gives an excellent and thorough analysis of Reich's work. He found that Reich didn't have a good knowledge of biology and physics and comes to the conclusion that his work is futile and not scientific (no rigorous experiments).

Reich's theories on mental illness are based on the (in)capacity to experience orgasm. He saw the roots for orgasmic inhibition in the 'authoritarian' (fascist) family. This is a patriarchal family not held together by parental love, but by repressive use of power by the father.
The treatment of his patients was guided to the restoration of the orgasmreflex.
But Reich went further and declared to have found in the universe 'orgone-energy', that he could capture with accumulators and use in the treatment of the mental ill.

It is evident that this theory is complete nonsense. The orgasmreflex has been cured today by Viagra (as simple as that).

This is the best possible analysis of a once very popular psychiatrist.

Leo Raditsa assesses the work of Reich, who was a follower of Freud and head of the training seminar for young analysts in Vienna. Raditsa focuses on Reich's experience with patients, with the fact that they did not become cured despite the fact that therapy made them aware of their unconscious conflicts. Raditsa shows how, beginning with this experience, Reich discovered the character armor -- a bodily rigidity, developed in response to early traumas, that prevented striaghtforward experiences of love and feeling. Raditsa then shows how the armor, by rendering men incapable of love, also made them incapable of work, responsibility, and freedom. Raditsa traces -- and criticizes -- Reich's involvement with marxism as a social consequence of his therapeutic discoveries. Raditsa admits that he does not have the scientific competence to assess Reich's later claims about discovering life-energy (orgone energy). Raditsa's book does, however, make it understandable why Reich moved from examining individual patients, to politics, to claims about nature as a whole -- a movement always rooted in his experience of people, and nature, and his patients' distance from nature and love. Throughout the book, Raditsa is able to distinguish the merits of Reich's work without (like many of Reich's followers) being a disciple, and without (like many of Reich's critics) simply dismissing Reich. In my view, this is the best introduction to Reich for a beginner, as well as the best critical appraisal for those already familiar with Reich's work. If one wishes to read Reich himself first, then _Character Analysis_ is sufficient to be able to assess independently the value of Raditsa's commentary. One may be able to order Raditsa's book from the St. John's College Bookstore (Annapolis, MD), where Raditsa teaches, and where I was a student.

Few important thinkers have been as marginalized as the psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957). Critics tend to focus on Reich's late, almost mystical writing, at the expense of his early breakthroughs in the analytic field. Indeed, Reich's critical ostracize repeats his personal and professional isolation from the 1930s onward. Rejected by the psychoanalytic community, and separated from his children, Reich ended his life in a federal prison on a charge, from of all places, the Food and Drug Administration. Robert Corrington's new book seeks to restore Reich's rightful place among other important twentieth century thinkers. A professor of theological philosophy at Drew University, Professor Corrington, places Reich's late work in a theological framework. More importantly, Corrington writes about Reich's work as a unified oeuvre whereby the later visions emerge logically from an earlier, more noted foundation.

Orgasm theory is the lynchpin of Reich's thinking. More Freudian than Freud, Reich's devotion to a biological model emerges in the 1923 essay, "Concerning the Energy of Drives," which Corrington discusses in a detailed chapter on Reich's early writings and case studies. Reich refused Freud's postulation about a death drive stressed a life affirming philosophy at the time Freud turned toward ego psychology draining psychoanalysis of its radical core. Other early papers feature the seeds of character analysis delineated in 1925's study of the impulsive character. Corrington nicely outlines Reich's focus on the somatic core of illness and the significance of negative transference. Further, Corrington points out Reich's use of active intervention in the therapy session. Although Sandor Ferenczi also stressed an active engagement with the patient, Reich's work brought him into contact with the patient's social world and an understanding of how health requires not just individual emotion adjustment, but the transformation of social institutions. Chapter three focuses on The Mass Psychology of Fascism and Chapter four on Character Analysis. Each of these texts is classic and Corrington illuminates the works in a careful, balanced fashion. Sadly, therapy today continues to neglect the social dimension. Psychiatry's reliance on medication, which attacks only the symptom, rarely understands the dilemma of patients who cannot even afford the medication proscribed for them. Reich's sensitivity to the working class deserves the credit this book accords him.

The text, as mentioned earlier, reads Reich's late work, in the context of the analyst's overall development. On one hand, Reich's preoccupation with orgone energy and his use of primitive technology like the "orgone accumulator" are difficult to take seriously
Certainly, Reich lacked Einstein's theoretical genius and, consequently, could never formulate a reasonable account for his alleged findings. On the other hand, the super string theories of contemporary physicists also lack confirmation. What brings disparate thinkers together is a commitment to a unified theory of the universe and Corrington admirably outlines Reich's devotion to solving life's mystery, whether in failure (orgone energy) or triumph (the significance of social intervention in the therapeutic process). The book is highly recommended and should help return Reich's work to circulation. Dr. David Seelow, R.P.I.

This book, in its third edition, is Reich's attempt to account for the failure of Marxism to spot and deal with the evolution of nationalistic Fascism that tore the world apart for 12 years or so. In doing so, he redefines the Marxist proletariat man, an entity modified by the industrial revolution into the democratic working man.

The main difficulty with the book is its poor translation into English. The translator keeps German syntax and as a result it cannot really be read as English. The introduction, however, is fairly lucid and expresses in precis most of the gist of the book.

Reich asserts a big truth here when he says that every man has a fascist inside begging to be set free. Economic and social crises bring these impulses to the fore; all it takes is a demagogue who can ignite our ubiquitous, paternalistic and authoritarian impulses to murder into a mass movement. Re-read GW Bush's state of the union message for clues as to where his cadre is leading us.

I first read this book in 1947. It had been recommended to me by a maverick sociologist. Fascinated from the first page on, I carried it with me on trolley cars, in subways and to class until finishing it. I was awestruck. Bridging the gap, and the seeming contradictions, between Freud and Marx, I could see Reich going beyond either. The book set me on a path that I've pursued for over 50 years, through sociobiology, shamanism, alchemy, medicine and martial arts. Reich's biographer entitles his book "Fury on Earth." For me,"Mass Psychology of Fascism" was a first step into that fury.

Wilhelm Reich was many things in his lifetime- a student of Freud, a political activist, a research scientist, and an inventor. His work was decades ahead of its time and is finally being rediscovered and reevaluated by the public. If, like me, you are interested in Reich and his work, you might want to check out a novel called We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. it draws heavily on Reich's theories, particularly Listen Little Man and The Mass Psychology Of Facism. It's a great introduction to Reich's work and the entire novel draws heavily on his theory. It's very interesting watching an author explore his theories in a fictional setting. Well worth reading.

Sure, "War is bad" (platitude #1). However this message delivered repeatedly is a waste of paper and ink.

This sermon focuses on the nature of "the little man". This character is so-named because the Author is highly attuned to the nature of this character and blames him for all the ills of mankind. Thus, the little man is selfish, warlike, likes war movies, boxing-matches etc.

The didactic nature of this character can be completely contrasted by the natures of real people. The little man doesn't really exist outside of this book. Even the author's experience as a witness to the third reich doesn't justify most of the natures attributed to the little man.

Overall, the book is just unreadable. It is simply blase' to read a book which repremands an imaginary character for 125 pages.

I first read this book, as I recall, in the mid 60's. I'm now on my third copy; the previous copies were worn out from handling!"Listen Little Man" is a must read for thinking people who care about humanity, particularly in today's geo/political climate. The information is as relevant today (perhaps even more so!)as it was when first written. We just need to consider it, apply it to our own lives and spread the message--we must trust ourselves to be able to take care of ourselves rather than rely on any exernal force, particularly our leaders and governments.

You will love this little book, or hate it, but I don't see how anyone could read it and not be moved by the impassioned plea that we all assume responsibility for our lives and that we instill this responsibility for future generations. It was my first great inspiration to start thinking for myself (and this was after all the classroom teachings, college included)! I'm still inspired by it.

Wilhelm Reich was far ahead of his time. Like seemingly all visionaries, he was completely at odds with mainstream thought. By the time he wrote this book, he had been completely discredited, humiliated, and even imprisoned! Despite his ruin, he still had hope for mankind, as evident by the tone of this book. Inspirational, entertaining, and most of all, empowering.

Wilhelm Reich doesn't have the best reputation these days, but then again, his reputation was never that good. People now say that he was crazy, or had a god-complex, that his experiments can't be reproduced, and so on. I think that he had an unusual sensitivity to human problems and developed novel ways of thinking about them. Whether the cosmic orgone exists or not is not as important as what Reich had to say about society and its effects on the happiness of those who live in it. TFOTO is worth reading if one keeps an open mind and is not distracted by Reich's terminology. There's truth in what he says, even if you don't believe every word.

The book focuses on the function of orgasm as an important PART of "healthy" love making. The issues discussed are timeless and at the same time not given the proper importance in our everyday life. Why? The author gives his opinion which is informed by the biological, psychological and social scientific domain.

Nothing to do with the endless numbers of books that come up when one puts in the keyword "orgasm" in any search machine...
It's not about trying to improve your orgasm or trying improve your sex-skills or trying to become that lover that will be able to seduce every female. On the contrary, based on the function of orgasm which is parallelised with that of relaxation it discusses how through, not trying, but SURRENDERING to the function of orgasm one can let go, may unblock muscular and character armouring in that experience, and perhaps unexpectedly but naturally come to a new way of perceiveing life.

Despite the fact that it may be necessary for the reader to be slightly familiar with Reich and his terminology (or psychoanalysis in general) I undoubtedly recomend it to someone who wonders why humanity looks blocked, stressed and cannot let matters go. Why humanity is afraid to surrender to nature and thus discover its function and power, instead of persistently trying to conquer it...

I am afraid I cannot resist to reply to a previous reviewer. Yes, one may say that this book briefly says "Make love, not war", like everyone college freshman says.
"Make love, not war". Simple stuff, nothing new, we know the possible biological, psychological and social threads that turn acts of love to acts of war and if we look around us we can see that humanity has turned this knowledge into lived-life, humanity's life is in harmony with nature...
I don't think so...

Wilhelm Reich was many things in his lifetime- a student of Freud, a political activist, a research scientist, and an inventor. His work was decades ahead of its time and is finally being rediscovered and reevaluated by the public. If, like me, you are interested in Reich and his work, you might want to check out a novel called We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. it draws heavily on Reich's theories, particularly Listen Little Man and The Mass Psychology Of Facism. It's a great introduction to Reich's work and the entire novel draws heavily on his theory. It's very interesting watching an author explore his theories in a fictional setting. Well worth reading.

....mixed in with a reductionistic theory whose centerpiece implies that the cure for neurosis is having sex more often. At times I wished the author had taken his own advice in lieu of writing such a long and drawn-out book...or that I had taken his advice instead of reading it all. Scattered useful clinical concepts.

Wilhelm Reich was many things in his lifetime- a student of Freud, a political activist, a research scientist, and an inventor. His work was decades ahead of its time and is finally being rediscovered and reevaluated by the public. If, like me, you are interested in Reich and his work, you might want to check out a novel called We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. it draws heavily on Reich's theories, particularly Listen Little Man and The Mass Psychology Of Facism. It's a great introduction to Reich's work and the entire novel draws heavily on his theory. It's very interesting watching an author explore his theories in a fictional setting. Well worth reading.

Conventional wisdom has it that the firest two-thirds of this treatise on character analysis improved psychoanalytic technique, focusing on character-based resistances rather than just on interpreting content--associations, dreams, etc. True enough, but the last third, which analysts and critics say represents Reich's slippage into maddness, is even more brilliant and farsighted. Here, Reich moves into the area of bioenergy and body-based psychotherapy. He presages some modern developments in psychotherapy, and in many respects, moves ahead of where mainstream therapy resides today. His bioenergy/therapy integration was also a forerunner of much of today's alternative mind-body and energy medicine modalities. Reich was not always the most trenchant writer, but here is writing his sharp, direct, and provocative. This is Reich's great contribution, still largely neglected.