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CHOICE Review

Vitz employs Freudian psychoanalytic theory to explore the psychological dynamics of Freud's rejection of religion. Through literary analysis, this insightful biography explores Christian literature, art, and culture as forces in Freud's early development. Freud's relationship, in his first years, with his Roman Catholic nanny is brought to bear on his later atheism and his stress upon the psychological problems caused by religion. This forms a basis for the analysis of Freud's rejection of his father and his emphasis on the Oedipal complex. The volume is also a necessary addition to the works of E. Jones and F.J. Sulloway. It offers points of view that permit a deeper and more critical evaluation of other biographical works. The illustrations support Vitz's arguments, and the extensive notes give direction to additional study. The book has a limited undergraduate audience; however, advanced readers interested in the intersection of psychology and religion will find it challenging and of great value.-F.A. Grohsmeyer, Indiana University East