Momma And The Meaning Of Life

Yalom shows us what the meaning and practice of therapy mean to him ... and does it with enviable openness and style

A fascinating commentary on the bond between patient and therapist

Irvin Yalom indeed gives us a taste of the meaning of life in this wise and entertaining book

In every chapter, an epiphany, a tug at the heart or a gasp of realization. And 'The Hungarian Cat Curse' will be read aloud for decades, possibly forever. This isn't a book - it's a gift

Ironic and self-aware, Irvin Yalom gently leads us to the brink of death, to the edge of madness, and to the depths of despair. Dr. Yalom makes the same compassionate agreement with we, his readers, as he does with his patients: to reveal himself fully and honestly so that together we may confront the bleak existential realities and bring meaning and richness to our lives. I'm sure his Momma would have been proud

Six long psychotherapy narratives - four based on actual cases, two fictional - that comprise a worthy sequel to the author's bestselling LOVE'S EXECUTIONER. Yalom, author of many other books on psychotherapy, focuses here on how life can be enriched by emotionally integrating close encounters with loved ones' deaths and with one's own mortality. What particularly makes this book worth many times its price is a stunning piece entitled 'Seven Advanced Lessons in the Therapy of Grief'... Yalom ... again displays the great narrative drive and wit evident in LOVE'S EXECUTIONER. At least as much as that book, MOMMA AND THE MEANING OF LIFE contains some truly profound observations on death, the sometimes desperate attempts to modify one's personality so as to live more fully, and other human struggles. These six engrossing narratives are very valuable gleanings from a master therapist's professional and personal experience.

These spellbinding tales of pain and of healing transport us into the very cores of the therapeutic experience

Irvin Yalom continues to astonish us. Vitality, eloquence, wisdom, courage and the capacity to listen and learn mark this book indelibly

This is a chance to get inside the mind of a brilliant therapist and witness the soul breaking through. Like the first light of dawn, MOMMA AND THE MEANING OF LIFE is warm, radiant and revealing

Irvin Yalom brings to these splendid tales of psychotherapy his rich experience as a therapist, his broad knowledge of philosophy and literature, and his profound humanity. He draws the reader into his stories with the same skill he uses to engage his patients in therapy