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Shop nowMomma and the Meaning of Life
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Learn morePsychotherapist Irvin D. Yalom probes further into the mysteries of the therapeutic encounter in this entertaining and thoughtful follow-up to his bestselling Love’s Executioner
In six enthralling stories drawn from his own clinical experience, Irvin D. Yalom once again proves himself an intrepid explorer of the human psyche as he guides his patients—and himself—toward transformation. With eloquent detail and sharp-eyed observation, Yalom introduces us to a memorable cast of characters. Drifting through his dreams and trampling through his thoughts are Paula, Yalom’s “courtesan of death”; Myrna, whose eavesdropping gives new meaning to patient confidentiality; Magnolia, into whose ample lap Yalom longs to pour his own sorrows, even as he strives to ease hers; and Momma—ill-tempered, overpowering, and suffocating her son with both love and disapproval. A richly rewarding, almost illicit glimpse into the therapist’s heart and mind, Momma and the Meaning of Life illuminates the unique potential of every human relationship.
Irvin D. Yalom is a highly regarded psychiatrist and the author of numerous books including the New York Times bestselling Love’s Executioner and the internationally bestselling novel When Nietzsche Wept.
Read by Traber Burns, Keith Szarabajka, Adenrele Ojo, Kevin Kenerly, Hillary Huber, Carrington MacDuffie, Mirron Willis, Kirby Heyborne, Priya Ayyar, Neil Shah, Thom Rivera, and Scott Brick
Reviews
“A fascinating commentary on the bond between patient and therapist.”
“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. I only wish that Irvin Yalom lived next door.”
“Yalom can tell a story and tell it so well that it is easy to forget that what one is reading is a distillation of weeks, months, even years of therapeutic work…And Yalom does it with enviable openness and style.”
“Yalom reveals much more of himself this time around… [His] therapeutic encounters, as recorded here, are often painful crucibles of personal transformation, in which people grow in unexpected ways by releasing reservoirs of guilt, fear, sadness, anger and denial.”
“Psychiatrist and gifted storyteller Yalom returns with six engaging tales of psychotherapy…Whether dealing with issues raised by his memory of the quintessential Jewish mother or supporting a widow working through her grief, Yalom reveals his thoughts, feelings, and reactions with sensitive honesty.”
“Yalom, psychotherapist and author of When Nietzsche Wept and Lying on the Couch, uses his experiences with patients and his own life challenges to explore the process of psychotherapy and the search for meaning in life…Throughout, Yalom absorbingly recounts the resilience some patients bring to the task of healing themselves and is brutally frank about the limitations of modern medicine.”
“A worthy sequel to the author’s bestselling Love’s Executioner…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.”
“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.”
“These spellbinding tales of pain and of healing transport us into the very core of the therapeutic experience.”
“Yalom continues to astonish us. Vitality, eloquence, wisdom, courage, and the capacity to listen and learn mark this book indelibly.”
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