This is a book I've been interested in for a while, so I was delighted when I stumbled across it at the library and started reading it with high expectations. I enjoy reading about human psychology: I think its one of the appeals of fiction for many people. And The Examined Life does have quite a literary feel- Grosz sometimes explains states of mind with references to literature- Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Melville's Bartleby and even a Dr Zeuss poem.
Although it is non-fiction, The Examined Life reads like a book of short stories, so it has that hit or miss quality. Some of the chapters are very stimulating, others just feel like mildly interesting anecdotes. They are very concise, which is a good thing for the most part, but they do run the risk of being too simplistic. Is "You do this because of your parents" a complex enough explanation for someone's behaviour? Of course I know next to nothing about psychoanalysis, but I just wanted something with more depth. Maybe a longer explanation of a particular case study would have been more appropriate for me.
One of the descriptions used to sell the book on the inside front cover was 'aphoristic' and I agree with this, although I'm not sure if its a good thing. It comes back to the complexity issue. Although I should note that the chapters are grouped by theme- 'Beginnings', 'Telling Lies', 'Loving', 'Changing' and 'Leaving'. Maybe considering the stories within their place in these themes creates a multi-faceted picture. For example, ways of coping with loss, change, and sadness are repeated motifs.
I may have been harsh on this book but I do want to convey that I enjoyed it. It's an easy read, but still manages to be thought-provoking, and the sheer amount of case studies means you are bound to find something that interests you, or even something you recognise in yourself. 'How a fear of loss can cause us to lose everything' and 'How lovesickness keeps us from love' were particularly interesting to me.
If, like me, you can get this book from the library, I would recommend giving it a go. But had I paid full price for it I may have felt I little disappointed. If you have read The Examined Life, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
Although it is non-fiction, The Examined Life reads like a book of short stories, so it has that hit or miss quality. Some of the chapters are very stimulating, others just feel like mildly interesting anecdotes. They are very concise, which is a good thing for the most part, but they do run the risk of being too simplistic. Is "You do this because of your parents" a complex enough explanation for someone's behaviour? Of course I know next to nothing about psychoanalysis, but I just wanted something with more depth. Maybe a longer explanation of a particular case study would have been more appropriate for me.
One of the descriptions used to sell the book on the inside front cover was 'aphoristic' and I agree with this, although I'm not sure if its a good thing. It comes back to the complexity issue. Although I should note that the chapters are grouped by theme- 'Beginnings', 'Telling Lies', 'Loving', 'Changing' and 'Leaving'. Maybe considering the stories within their place in these themes creates a multi-faceted picture. For example, ways of coping with loss, change, and sadness are repeated motifs.
I may have been harsh on this book but I do want to convey that I enjoyed it. It's an easy read, but still manages to be thought-provoking, and the sheer amount of case studies means you are bound to find something that interests you, or even something you recognise in yourself. 'How a fear of loss can cause us to lose everything' and 'How lovesickness keeps us from love' were particularly interesting to me.
If, like me, you can get this book from the library, I would recommend giving it a go. But had I paid full price for it I may have felt I little disappointed. If you have read The Examined Life, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
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