'This scholarly, extraordinarily thorough review of object relations theories is a significantly updated version of Summers's first volume. Integrating theory and its clinical implications and locating each theory within its historical context, Summers helps the reader (whether beginning or advanced) to understand each theory's underlying assumptions and their implications for the clinical moment. A must-read for those interested in an in-depth understanding of the breadth of object relations thinking.'
Joyce Slochower, PhD, ABPP
'This book is a feast for the mind. Readers of all persuasions, from those new to psychoanalytic thought to those immersed in it for decades, will find nourishment on every page. The original edition was a tour de force; this revision is even better. Summers's improvements, especially his discussion of the relational movement, serve up contemporary psychoanalysis in all its depth and nuance. Simultaneously scholarly and readable, this volume emphasises the practical clinical implications of theory, helping us all to become better therapists.'
Nancy McWilliams, emerita visiting professor, Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
'Dr Summers not only carefully and clearly summarises major psychoanalytic theories, but also does what no other author has done: he articulately spells out the specific treatment implications of each theory he discusses. This alone makes his book extremely useful and even invaluable.'
Morris Eagle, professor emeritus, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University
