Rage (Disseminations: Psychoanalysis in Contexts)

Rage permeates every aspect of our lives. In this thoughtful series of case studies, Michael Eigen shows the ways in which rage is integral to human existence. Along the way, he explores the role of rage in art, religion and contemporary culture; his far-reaching examples range from “the murderous art” of Shakespeare to road rage to the wrath of God in the Old Testament to a consideration of the events of September 11, 2001. Eigen writes that “rage more than most states affords a sense of totality, experiencing one’s being with all one’s might.” Eigen's breadth of cultural knowledge, combined with his respect for and attention to the individuality of a person, come together in providing the reader with a complex account of rage — what it is, where it comes from and what we should do with it. This is a useful book for therapists and laypeople alike.