Classic psychiatric texts?
June 18, 2014 12:10 AM Subscribe
I'd like to get my step-mother a gift for her 50th birthday - we're not particularly close, but I'd like to make a nice gesture. She's a psychiatrist, and a lot of her identity is bound up in that, so I'm thinking some kind of classic psychiatric text in a nice edition would be appreciated, but I don't know where to start. Can spend up to $200 or so. Any suggestions?
Best answer: The Red Book by Carl Jung may be of interest, if she doesn’t already have it.
posted by misteraitch at 2:11 AM on June 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by misteraitch at 2:11 AM on June 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
Not a text, but classic. I've seen them on ebay much cheaper, but here is one.
posted by persona au gratin at 3:40 AM on June 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by persona au gratin at 3:40 AM on June 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
Btw, I have one. It's super-cool.
posted by persona au gratin at 3:41 AM on June 18, 2014
posted by persona au gratin at 3:41 AM on June 18, 2014
Psychiatry is like politics in that, if you don't know her views, it's easy to get something reflecting the views of an opposing sect. E.g., The Red Book may be perfect, or the opposite of perfect. What books does she read now? How does she work?
posted by Obscure Reference at 4:05 AM on June 18, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by Obscure Reference at 4:05 AM on June 18, 2014 [7 favorites]
Best answer: Not sure if it's a classic, but I was gifted this book a long time ago by a psychologist in my book club:
Affect Regulation, Mentalization, and the Development of the Self
Basically this book talks about the development of the ego and how our mental representation of ourselves and our ability to regulate emotions develops in relation to our primary attachments as children, and then goes into how disordered relationships yield disordered egos. It is fascinating and very much aimed at fellow psychologists, and breath-taking in its depth and detail, and yet has an engaging writing style (ie non-sterile/clinical). It is one of my prized books.
It is approximately 500 pages.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:50 AM on June 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
Affect Regulation, Mentalization, and the Development of the Self
Basically this book talks about the development of the ego and how our mental representation of ourselves and our ability to regulate emotions develops in relation to our primary attachments as children, and then goes into how disordered relationships yield disordered egos. It is fascinating and very much aimed at fellow psychologists, and breath-taking in its depth and detail, and yet has an engaging writing style (ie non-sterile/clinical). It is one of my prized books.
It is approximately 500 pages.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:50 AM on June 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: My go-to gift for people in the psychology field is Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. Even though many have read it, they still appreciate the sentiment and are willing to re-read it. A nice inscription is usually very appreciated.
posted by Lil Bit of Pepper at 3:10 PM on June 18, 2014
posted by Lil Bit of Pepper at 3:10 PM on June 18, 2014
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posted by tanktop at 1:58 AM on June 18, 2014