Man and His Symbols

Rating:
Summary: Rewarding
Review: If you are a layman like myself and feel that Jung may be a bit difficult to read you should start with this. Although this book does not systematically present his theories, it touches on all of Jung's important contributions to psychology. While reading this book, it was easily understood why Jung was so intrigued by mysticism. The illustrations in this book are amazing, and sometimes spellbinding, and to me they had the effect I think the authors intended -- to understand The archetypes. Read this book. It will take you places you never been or thought you could go.

Rating:
Summary: Easy Intro to Jung
Review: In Man and his Symbols (1961), Jung's last book, Jung and four of his disciples (Von Franz, Henderson, Jaffé, and Jacobi) team up to introduce the world to the collective unconscious and its manifestations in mythology, art, dreams, and even science.

Jung suggests that man's greatest adventure lies in the exploration of the inner world of the psyche. By getting in touch with the unconscious (especially through dreams), one is supposedly able to activate latent guiding powers that will help him become a stronger individual. Jaffé's essay details a case where a Jungian anaylsis is successful, and it convinced me.

For a basic grasp of the collective unconscious and the archetypal symbols and how they relate to you, this book serves. It's very easy to understand, and its simple language and many illustrations make it easy to work through.

The only disappointment is that the book is too simple. Given only a taste of the basic concepts, you are left wanting more depth and a wider discussion of Jung's ideas. As Ms. Von Franz says in the closing essay, "This book sketches only an infinitesimal part of his [Jung's] vast contribution to this new field of psychological discovery."

Rating:
Summary: Easy Intro to Jung
Review: In Man and his Symbols (1961), Jung's last book, Jung and four of his disciples (Von Franz, Henderson, Jaffé, and Jacobi) team up to introduce the world to the collective unconscious and its manifestations in mythology, art, dreams, and even science.

Jung suggests that man's greatest adventure lies in the exploration of the inner world of the psyche. By getting in touch with the unconscious (especially through dreams), one is supposedly able to activate latent guiding powers that will help him become a stronger individual. Jaffé's essay details a case where a Jungian anaylsis is successful, and it convinced me.

For a basic grasp of the collective unconscious and the archetypal symbols and how they relate to you, this book serves. It's very easy to understand, and its simple language and many illustrations make it easy to work through.

The only disappointment is that the book is too simple. Given only a taste of the basic concepts, you are left wanting more depth and a wider discussion of Jung's ideas. As Ms. Von Franz says in the closing essay, "This book sketches only an infinitesimal part of his [Jung's] vast contribution to this new field of psychological discovery."

Rating:
Summary: Written as an introduction for the layperson.
Review: In the introduction to the book, John Freeman tells the story of how Jung came to get involved with the project. Apparently, the managing director of Aldus books had seen Jung on the BBC and was so struck by his warmth and personableness that he tried to persuade Jung to apply those same qualities to a book written for the general masses, rather than for psychologists themselves. While at first refusing, Jung was swayed by one of his own dreams into changing his mind and agreeing to take on the project. Given that the book to a large degree dwells on dreams and what can be learned from them, it is an appropriate anecdote.

The publisher doesn't get any praise for designing the cover in such a way that it implies Jung was the author of the book. He isn't. He was the editor and wrote one of the chapters. Neither is the book an integral whole-- the chapters treat different aspects of symbolism and the unconscious, each with their own viewpoint and flavor.

The essays in the book are as follows:

"Approaching the Unconscious" (Carl Jung)-- for those who don't know his work, this is a very nice introduction to most of the basic points.

"Ancient Myths and Modern Man" (Joseph L. Henderson)-- examines symbols as they appear in both myth and modern day culture.

"The Process of Individuation" (M.-L. von Franz)-- treats patterns of dreams over the lifetime of the individual. A good look at the concept of Animus and Anima.

"Symbolism in the Visual Arts" (Aniele Jaffe)-- IMO the weakest chapter, looks at the progression of sacred symbol to art.

"Symbols in an Individual Analysis" (Jolande Jacobi)-- Describes the treatment through dream analysis of a young Swiss man.

While the book felt uneven in places (and even contradictory), it serves well in the purpose for which it was intended. Someone reading the book will get the basic concepts of symbols and the unconscious, and some decent pointers to further readings in the notes if they wanted to find out more.

Rating:
Summary: Not as easy a read as promised...
Review: Jung's concepts interested me so I purchased this book. I am far from educated in psychology, but I am intrigued by it. Although advertised as a book for the layman, I would disagree. Not simple enough to help build the foundation upon which I would like to build. Better as a third or fourth book after a base of knowledge has been laid.

Rating:
Summary: get the hard cover edition
Review: Jung's work deals extensively with symbolism. Aside from being written for the layperson, one of the great benefits of this book is that it is profusely illustrated. If possible, get the hard cover version. It is larger and better illustrated. The illustrations aren't just gravy, they're an important part of the book.

Rating:
Summary: Carl Jung one of my best friends-1978to 2001
Review: Man and His Symbols-makes you believe in mysterys of the mind for everyone. You get a whirlwind tour through the ages. You peak into cultures without being torn by their exposure. And then the learning starts. i can barely put the book down until having reached the end every time i read it. The meaning of the goddess of willendorf-with her generous body proportions, her curls in her hair, and no face features-from 30,000 years ago stays with me. How the circle is reinvented so to speak, renewing each century for many centurys, is a simple observation Carl Jung brings out. Finally, this book prepares you for Jung's other works on archtypes, dreams, and structures of the mind as he saw them: for example, the Portable Jung.

Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to Jungian psychology
Review: My wife used this book in her honors high school English class. This book provides an excellent introduction to several of Jung's important ideas by Jung and four of his followers: M. L. von Franz, Joseph L. Henderson, Jolande Jacobi, and Aniela Jaffe. This book provides a very accessible introduction to Jungian psychology. It is written to the non-expert and contains facsicinting examples. The pictures and illustrations that accompany the text are particularly interesting. After reading *Man and His Symbols*, I saw our symbolic world in a whole new way.

Rating:
Summary: why in depth,when the basics aren't clear
Review: the first part of the book(jung's part)is really nice explained of what psychology actually is(but it's only 72 pages).and then very surprising ,the other authers start explaining in depth fragments of importent parts of psychology with examples!!!I didn't like that approach.I had a feeling their was much more to say about it in general.it's more like "a built yourself machine" where every part of the machine is named ,but how you put it together is your problem.Sooo after a while the book became really anoying.
Hope this helps

Rating:
Summary: 40+ years later, and still extremely relevant
Review: The first thing that struck me when I first leafed through this book was that the photos, illustrations, etc. have a little bit of a dated feel. Once I began reading it, however, I was impressed by how relevant it continues to be more than 4 decades after it was written. Jung influenced a bunch of his contemporary artists, writers, and musicians, and continues to do so today. Ask Sting about where he got the concept of synchronicity, David Byrne about where he gets his ideas from, Delmore Schwartz how he came up with the quote "In dreams begin responsibilities", or Lou Reed how he came up with his quote "Between thought and expression lies a lifetime". The latter are just the tip of the iceberg upon whom Jung cast his gigantic shadow. Setting aside Jung's incredible influence on artists who are influential in their own right, this book is better than any of the so called "self help" books out there, bar none. In reading this book, you don't feel like you're being lectured to, but instead, you realize that in stressing the importance of dreams, Jung tapped into something people tend to ignore or discard, when in fact, dreams are a (not so)hidden energy and power waiting right before your very eyes (pun intended?)ready to harness and use to live a more balanced life.