From the Life and Work of C.G. Jung

by Aniela Jaffé

Aniela Jaffé was given permission to quote from Jung's highly personal Red Book, and she does so in her essay on Jung's creative phases. Shortly before her death, the author also updated and expanded her long-famous article addressing the National Socialism accusations leveled against Jung. Sir Laurens van der Post provides a sharp echo in his Epilogue, written especially for this edition.

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

One of the most distinguished interpreters of the Jung's ideas. She was born in Berlin and studied psychology at the University of Hamburg. At the break of World War II she emigrated to Zurich where she began to work with Jung. They worked together on the book Memories, Dreams, Thoughts.

In addition to her various important papers on psychology, she wrote widely on parapsychology, particularly on connections between psi phenomena and the unconscious, and on the psychological interpretation of paranormal phenomena.

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was given me by the parents of a fellow student at Grinnell College. One of them, Kieffer Frantz, the father as I recall, was an analytical psychologist in California and their daughter had apparently told them that one of her friends was aspiring to become a depth psychologist himself. In any case, it was a very kind gesture. I very much liked the three of them, but am still surprised when now, pulling the water-damaged edition off the shelf, I find that not only did they inscribe it, they gave me their home address.

Being rather intimidated by their impressive daughter--the one whom, incidentally, introduced me to Cummings' The Enormous Room--I don't think I ever dared use it beyond, I trust, a thank you note.

A few years later, while working on the graduate thesis, I corresponded with Aniela Jaffé as well as with C.G. Jung's eldest son.

[Maria Menozzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this little gem in my local library. Who'd've thought 10,000 miles from Zurich I would find a little known out-of-print book on Jung that hadn't been checked out in decades. I'm guessing. This little Michigan town does surprise me, literary and intellectual snob that I am. This is a small book but compact with information and articulation of two of Jung's most important contributions to the social science field: alchemy and archetypes. The last two essays comprising the book are more personal in nature; a treatise in defense of and offense of Jung and being wrongly accused during WWII of his being a Nazi sympathisizer; and, Jaffe's personal recounting of her time as Jung's personal secretary during his final years. Considering this was published not too long after Jung's death in 1961, the information is still compelling and necessary. Good introduction to Jung if you have not read anything else.

[Amy Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wisdom from a Valkyrie

I am always surprised by the deep wisdom of Aniela Jaffe. She was one of the three women who learned directly from Jung. This book is so deep it takes more than one reading to fathom. But you will not find this wisdom elsewhere.