Sex Vs Survival

by John Launer

Who was Sabina Spielrein? Her dramatic life story is most famous for her notorious affair with Carl Jung, dramatised in the film A Dangerous Method starring Keira Knightley. Yet she was a woman who overcame family and psychiatric abuse to become an original thinker in the field of psychotherapy This is the first biography to put her life and ideas at the centre of the story, and to examine Spielrein's key role in the development of psychoanalysis and in the rift between Jung and Freud. Drawing on fresh research into Spielrein's diaries, papers and correspondence, John Launer tells the story of a passionate woman who transformed herself from one of Jung's disturbed patients into a leading figure in Western psychology, then the Soviet intelligentsia, before losing her life in the Holocaust. At the heart of Sex Versus Survival is the gripping tale of Spielrein and Jung's tumultuous affair, which played such an important role in both of their lives and intellectual journeys. Launer shows how Spielrein's overlooked ideas - rejected by Jung and Freud, but substantially vindicated by later developments in psychology and evolutionary biology - may represent the last and most important stage in the rediscovery of an extraordinary life.

Genres: History, Biography, Psychology, Psychoanalysis, Sexuality, Nonfiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2011

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until encountering this book, I'd never heard of Sabina Spielrein---which is the point the book makes.

This biography tells the engaging story of a woman whose adulthood began as a patient in a psychiatric hospital, analyzed by Carl Jung who recognized her brilliance and even while she remained an inpatient, took her on rounds and probed for her insights into the psyches of other patients. He also took her as a lover (which apparently was a thing male doctors did regularly then with their female patients) along with the several other women patients he was sleeping with, arousing angst in his wife.

Sabina did go on to complete medical school and psychoanalytic training. Throughout the years of their tumultuous relationship, Carl Jung at times encouraged Sabina's professional growth, took her groundbreaking insights for his own, and used her as a pawn in the stormy coming apart of his relationship with Freud.

Over the course of her life, Sabina contributed enormously to the fields of psychoanalysis and child development, until she was executed over a mass grave as the Holocaust rolled out. Her contributions have been largely written out of history or claimed by others. The author makes the compelling case that this may have been not simply because she was a woman in a man's profession (at the time) but because she lived and wrote as a woman, from a woman's perspective, about sex and love and child development and gender roles rather than adopting the accepted (masculine) focus and approach as her contemporaries, Melanie Klein and Anna Freud did.

I found it a fascinating read.

[Gail DiVico · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent overview of the life of a woman who made great strides in the areas of psychoanalysis, pedology, child psychology and the importance of both biological factors and evolution in the treatment of patients. Sabina Spielrein, herself a psychiatric patient at the age of 19, is now being recognized as one of the most innovative doctors in the early 20th century. She was virtually ignored because she was a woman and presented views that are recognized today but did not mesh well with the ideas of the times. Her relationships with both Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud were explored in depth, as well. It is unfortunate that many of her papers and letters are no longer available, but the author did an outstanding job using what he had. Sabina's life and that of her two daughters ended very tragically during the Holocaust. She was only 42. I highly recommend this book . It is not difficult reading and provides great incite into the early years of this amazing and interesting field.

[Goddess Victoria Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable woman who deserves to be better known.

Very well written and researched biography of a remarkable woman. Many people have never heard of her and those who have most likely know her through the movie A most dangerous method. The movie was directed by David Cronenberg and Keira Knightley played the part of Sabina Spielrein. The movie focuses mainly on her relationship with Carl Jung and his with Freud.
She deserves more than this and this book gives it to her. She made a massive contribution to the field of psychology and had an influence on the works of piaget. Many of the theories he has received fame and praise for were pioneered by Sabina.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting read. Of course, the majority of the book's content is based on how Spielrein was unable to get over Jung or his conflict with Freud.

What I appreciated the most was the author's attempt to dismantle certain myths about their relationship, who influenced whom, and related matters. Also, I am glad that the author tried their best to discuss Spielrein's legacy and ideas.

However, it seemed to me that the author tried too hard to make Spielrein the victim of the psychoanalytic patriarchy and the Holocaust. Although she definitely was, I don't think Spielrein herself would have appreciated how the climate, her teachers, and her colleagues were portrayed.

While reading the excerpts from her letters, it seemed to me that Spielrein always felt she had strong agency in how she wanted to live her life, and it's unfortunate that the author focused more on how she was harmed as opposed to how she took life into her own hands—from pursuing relationships with prominent analysts and scientists to making informed career decisions.

And it's clear from the get go that she was not perfect either, so the human nature aspect of her traumatic background, desires, and actions was left unexplored as well. For example, the abuse of her father and how she managed (or not managed) to work through it was not explored in greater detail or referenced properly.

That being said, it's a good introduction to Spielrein's life history, the political and sociological climate of her time, and, of course, her influence on prominent scientists—not only Freud or Jung but also Vygotsky, Luria, and many others.

[Parth Sarthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in psychology, go for it.

The author has taken a lot of references from the hospitals, letters, friends, and family of venerable psychoanalyst Sabina Spielrein to bring out a story of her career, and life. This is very well out in the context of great wars among nations in her time.

Also, the author has well explained the theories that Sabina has introduced in the field of psychoanalysis. He has not only explained her theories, but also saved our understanding from any ambiguities that we may find from a modern view of psychoanalysis.

I have also watched the film based on her life - A Dangerous Method. The book has done a great job to fill gaps in my imagination that is build after watching the film.

This is not a very popular book, or very popular subject that many will be interested to know. Nonetheless, I think it serves a lot of fascinating ideas about the time when psychoanalysis was only introduced by Sigmund Freud. It gave me a lot to think and imagine. Hope you will enjoy this too.

[Jessica Healy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so pleasantly surprised when this unexpectedly fell into my hands. I had come across Spielrein in college, but, it turns out, most of what I had read about her was untrue, or unreliably anecdotal. It's great to see a work about a formidably intelligent woman that doesn't reduce her to a crazy lady who had a fling with a famous guy. I really appreciated the way the author focused on her entire life, and her considerable academic achievements. You kind of have to wonder, if she had been a guy, would we have learned about her in the same way we learn about Freud & Jung & Piaget & Luria (all of whom she worked with). An easy read, very accessible, even if you're not au fait with the early days of psychoanalysis or developmental psychology.

The only thing that bothered me, really, was not being able to read all of the letters and papers the author had access to. With the best intentions in the world, his interpretation is still just one person's interpretation. Hopefully some day Spielrein's writings will be as widely available as the writings of the men she worked with, aided, and frequently outshone.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography is a phenomenal examination of one of the most important women you've never heard of. Spielrein was a pioneer in the fields of psychology and child psychology, and contributed to what would become evolutionary psychology. She was a fascinating woman who lived an unconventional life and died a horrible death during the Holocaust. Highly recommended for history buffs, psychology students, and psychology professors.

[Nicole Gerrand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascination history of this woman and her success as a psychoanalyst. Would recommend it to anyone before seeing the new film to get the facts straight.