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Summary: good place to start with Jung....
Review: ....for although he edited this collection and made some contributions, most of it was provided by friends and students who knew how to explain his ideas. Good introduction to the psychology of symbol, myth, and things Jungian.
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Summary: Excellent Introduction, but still Imposing!
Review: As other reviewers have stated, this book is one of two that Jung meant for public consumption. It makes for an excellent introduction to dream interpretation and symbolism, but isn't meant to help you interpret your own dreams by providing a list of symbolic meanings as some texts do. Rather, Jung (who wrote the initial essay) and the other authors provide the basic framework for understanding the mechanics of dream interpretation. The concluding piece on Science and the Unconscious, although the shortest essay, is very interesting and provides tantalizing insights into the relationship between physics and psychology. The book was still a challenging work to read and took me quite some time to finish. It was worth the effort.
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Summary: A fine, insightful introduction to Jung
Review: As previous reviews have noted, this is not a comprehensive overview of Jung's work. But it is a perfect introduction to some of his most important concepts, with an initial essay by Jung himself & several more by key figures of Jungian thought & work. By directing their focus to very specific points, these essays illuminate Jung's ideas in a clear & accessible way, particularly for the lay reader, for whom this volume was intended.
If there's any one theme, it's that of the Symbol: its power, its manifestations, its meaning to the individual. I especially like Aniela Jaffe's "Symbolism in the Visual Arts," which looks at the appearances & continual re-appearances of powerful spiritual symbols through the history of art, illustrated by the work of many fine artists; and also Joseph Henderson's "Ancient Myths and Modern man," which demonstrates how primal symbols, far from being part of humanity's past, are still quite present & working within the psyche of contemporary culture. But every essay is well worth reading & re-reading.
Jung's goal with this volume was to provide a primer of sorts, a beginner's guide to the riches & mysteries of the human psyche. In this he succeeded -- I can't imagine anyone reading this book & not coming away with a deeper appreciation & better understanding of the inner universe. Highly recommended!
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Summary: Challenging yet rewarding read
Review: Definitely not an easy read, but a very rewarding book to read if you are interested in understanding Jung's concept of the unconscious mind.
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Summary: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World
Review: I bought this book on a whim in college and devoured it in four days. It's simply fascinating, at once a very accessible introduction to Jung's theories, written for the layman, and a culmination of his life's work. Few books will change the way that you look at so much in life, but I can attest, from my own experience, that this will be one of them. Jung is our guide, in this modern and post-modern world, through the hallways of the subconscious, and our interpreter for those broken, distorted messages received via dreams, waking fantasies and the tug of images from our aboriginal self. If you have no familiarity with Jung or his ideas, as I didn't, then reading this book will make you aware of previously hidden portions of yourself whose input is necessary for good living. Just as importantly, it will also help you to understand humanity as a whole, its ideologies and literature... For example, Christianity and Socialism may, speaking practically, appear to be mutually exclusive worldviews, but who knew that they were in fact different manifestations of the same Golden Age archetype? This book is the key, the Rossetta Stone, to understanding so much of our species' mystery.
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Summary: Mind expanding
Review: I read this book about 4 years ago when I was doing a short introduction for myself into Carl Jung. This is a book that substantially affected my thinking at that time. Reading it was almost a mystical experience if that makes any sense, although I am not usually given to statements of that sort. I still vividly remember the feelings. Some might only be able to grasp it at a very basic level. However, after 40+ years I found that I had enough life experience-intelligence to immediately understand and experiencially agree with much of this information. Skim through it and then decide whether to read it or not.
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Summary: Something Everyone who has an Unconscious Should Read
Review: I recommend three books to everyone I know. Dr. Northrup's "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom", Gavin DeBecker's "The Gift of Fear" and this one. I have convinced many to read it, including a net buddy from Cuba.This book is a primer in listening to our unconsicous. If we all learned to do that, the world would be a much better place. I find it hard to have serious discussions on such topics as reality, religion, culture or anything else with people who haven't read this book. I end up spending all my time explaining what is in the book before I can even present my own ideas. The book isn't "easy" reading, but if the reader sticks with it, he/she will get a lot out of it. Dr. Jung writes to our unconscious as much as our conscious. There have been times when something didn't seem important when I read it, but later bells went off. I love those bells. Dr. Jung and his colleagues words are so inspiring, that I have decided to follow in their footsteps. I can say that this book truly changed my life
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Summary: Jung is a genius
Review: I think Jung is particularly great for bringing concepts and mind models mostly explored in philosophy, to the world of scientific thought. Most of his theories tie into spiritual thought of different cultures, and various concepts in mysticism; but he approaches it scientifically and bases his conclusions on thousands of dream analyses, explaining the whole thing in terms of psychology. This book is a great introduction to his work, because he summarizes his key ideas from his entire career in this book, in the most accesible way, with excellent examples.
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Summary: Essential Reading for Psych Students
Review: I'd highly recommend this book as essential reading for all psych students. I remember reading this back in high school and I re-ordered it for my current psych class. It is a timeless book.
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Summary: A good introduction to Carl Jung
Review: I'd suggest this book for anyone who wishes to obtain a general understanding of Carl Jung's theories. Man and his symbols gives a general outline of predominant themes that exist in various cultures. Almost every culture shares certain common archtypes. We can trace commonalities in various fertility gods, the belief in angels, demons, etc... His theories allude to a common origin in these beliefs as well as certain experiences that seem to be universal to the human condition. This book was helpful but I'd recommend his later work; Archtypes and The Collective Unconsious for a greater understanding...
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