Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of Dreams was the only book in recent years that I could not finish. I actually found myself falling asleep within 10 minutes of trying to read him, like clockwork. Counter that with a legendary reputation like Dostoevsky or Dumas, and I can devour 900 pages in a little over a week. Even Locke's 17th century style was easier to read than Freud.
Sep 6, 2023·edited Sep 6, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson
That is strange given that Freud is generally regarded, even by his detractors, as a gifted writer.
EDIT: You might consider starting with his shorter books Civilization and Its Discontents, and The Future of an Illusion, or the essay Mourning and Melancholia.
To be fair, I got over halfway through Interpretation of Dreams. Some of it was interesting, but he generalized a lot and used some unnecessary "scientific" language.
It’s the arcane references to ancient history and Hellenistic mythology in older tomes that gets to me.
Who was it who said "The best place to start is at the beginning?"
https://extramuros.substack.com/p/when-does-history-start
Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of Dreams was the only book in recent years that I could not finish. I actually found myself falling asleep within 10 minutes of trying to read him, like clockwork. Counter that with a legendary reputation like Dostoevsky or Dumas, and I can devour 900 pages in a little over a week. Even Locke's 17th century style was easier to read than Freud.
That is strange given that Freud is generally regarded, even by his detractors, as a gifted writer.
EDIT: You might consider starting with his shorter books Civilization and Its Discontents, and The Future of an Illusion, or the essay Mourning and Melancholia.
To be fair, I got over halfway through Interpretation of Dreams. Some of it was interesting, but he generalized a lot and used some unnecessary "scientific" language.
Sage guidance for sure!
There are very few book that I haven't finished. I think there are only two. Both had a bad chapter that I just couldn't get past.