The Doctor of Desire

by Allen Wheelis

When Dr. Melville, a psychoanalyst, falls in love with one of his patients, a beautiful and neurotic young woman, he begins to lose faith in the basic assumptions of psychoanalysis and questions his own sanity

192 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1987

Reviews

[Edlira Book nerd and art lover. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Wheelis. His books are a mirror to my mind and soul.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The loneliness and passion of the psychoanalyst in the "impossible profession". A short novella involving erotic transference/countertransference is followed by meditations on sexuality and meaning in life. The story allows the writer a springboard to look more deeply into his search for wholeness and fulfillment. In many ways he remains trapped, for instance between the guilt of transgression and the regret of having never risked. The thoughts at times touch the personal, which I did not always relate to strongly - but at other times the material covered universal themes, in a powerful and provocative manner. I note that the contemporary medical and psychotherapeutic enterprises both continue to maintain an uneasy and muted response to sexuality and could take lessons from this book, including the idea that when the social breaks down, more energies are invested - not always wisely - into the sexual.