Synopsis
The book is made of bits of journals, bits of lectures, memories, meditations--some impenetrably abstract & logically involuted, some embarrassingly speculative & poetic--among which one may wander at will. But in content it's new, evidence that Laing's moved on, deeper into himself, deeper into the mystery of life. It's a meditation without answers, philosophical, personal & biological, on the question, "Who am I?" Perhaps the most striking part of it is the personal. Laing's no longer talking only about patients or people in trouble, but about himself. His own quite bleak & repressed early history is told with a bald plainness that suggests both sadness & harsh humor. He moves from the conundrum conventionally called "the facts of life"--our origin in sexual reproduction--into more bizarre territory: the possibility (documented by incidents in therapy) that we remember, are haunted by, & reenact our conception, implantation, fetal life & birth, the loss of the cord & placenta that were part of us. He relates odd things that have happened to his mind, & odd encounters with others, that hint at the vast mysteries lying iceberg-like beyond consciousness. The whole is informed by an implicit compassion that turns explicit in an attack on "heartless" science unaware of its own unconscious sadistic motives. Despite its flights & obscurities, this is a real contribution to the literature of wonder--rich, disorderly, suggestive, inconclusive & humane.
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The Facts of Life (Penguin psychology) by Laing, R.D.
Seller: New Legacy Books, Annandale, NJ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
paperback. Condition: Good. The cover shows normal wear. The pages show normal wear. Fast shipping and order satisfaction guaranteed. A portion of your purchase benefits Non-Profit Organizations, First Aid and Fire Stations! Seller Inventory # mon0000035935
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The Facts of Life
Published by
Penguin Books Ltd, United Kingdom, London, 1992
ISBN 10: 0140158227
ISBN 13: 9780140158229
Used
Paperback
Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Psychiatrist, prophet, philosopher and poet, R.D. Laing was one of the most stimulating thinkers of the 20th century. His books "The Divided Self" and "Self and Others" revolutionized the common understanding of such concepts as madness, family life and society. This book brings together personal reflections, a scientific lecture, haunting overheard conversations, disturbing accounts of callous conventional psychiatry and poignant scenes from Laing's childhood. The author looks at sex, our personalities and some of our psychological problems tracing these back to birth and the cutting of the cord, even to life in the womb. The implications challenge many of our most cherished assumptions about life. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR002632319
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THE FACTS OF LIFE
Published by
Penguin Books, U. K., 1977
ISBN 10: 0140158227
ISBN 13: 9780140158229
Used
Paperback
First Edition
Seller: Dromanabooks, Newstead, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Yellowed paper Crease to top corner front cover; clean text. 100gms weight; 12mo 7" - 7½" tall; 144 pages. Seller Inventory # 17519
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