Anthony Stevens has devoted a lifetime to modernizing our understanding of the archetypes within us, relating them to conceptual developments in a variety of scientific disciplines, such as the patterns of behaviour of behavioural ecology, the species-specific behavioural systems of Bowlby’s attachment theory, the deep structures of Chomskian linguistics, and the modules of evolutionary psychology, to name but a few.
This selection of papers and chapters from the course of Stevens’ career, all lucidly written and argued, highlight episodes in the progress of his quest to place archetypal theory on a sound scientific foundation. As a whole, Living Archetypes examines how archetypes are activated in the life history of all of us, how archetypal imperatives may be fulfilled or thwarted by our living circumstances, how they manifest in our dreams, symbols, fantasies and symptoms, and how appreciating their dynamics can generate insights of enormous therapeutic power.
Living Archetypes: The Selected Works of Anthony Stevens provides an invaluable resource for Jungian psychotherapists, psychologists, academics and students committed to extending the evolutionary approach to psychology and psychiatry and understanding the dynamic significance of archetypes.
Table of Contents:
Introduction. Personal Introduction to Archetype: A Natural History of the Self (1982). ‘Attachment Behaviour, Separation Anxiety, and Stranger Anxiety in Polymatrically Reared Infants’ in The Origins of Human Social Relations, edited by H.R. Schaffer (1971), London and New York: Academic Press. The Mother, from Archetype: A Natural History of the Self (1982). On the Frustration of Archetypal Intent, from Archetype: A Natural History of the Self (1982). ‘Attenuation of the mother-child bond and male initiation into adult life’, Journal of Adolescence (1981), 4, 131-148. From Jung: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press), Chapter 3, ‘The Stages of Life’. From The Two Million-Year-Old Self (1993). From The Talking Cure in Three Volumes (2013, Toronto: Inner City Books). Volume 1, Chapter 3, excerpt subtitled ‘Jungian Therapy in Theory and Practice’, pp. 97-109. From Private Myths: Dreams and Dreaming (1995). Dreams in Therapy. From Ariadne’s Clue: A Guide to the Symbols of Humankind (1998). From The Handbook of Jungian Psychology: Theory, Practice and Applications, Chapter 3, ‘The Archetypes’, pp. 85-90. From The Roots of War and Terror (2004, London: Continuum). Personal Afterword from Archetype Revisited (2002). Towards a Science of Humanity from Evolutionary Psychiatry (2000). List of Publications. Glossary. Index.
About the Author :
Anthony Stevens has spent his professional life working as a Jungian analyst, psychiatrist, and writer. He is a graduate of Oxford University and in addition to a Doctorate in Medicine has two degrees in Psychology. He is a Senior Member of the Independent Group of Analytical Psychologists and a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. His previous books include Archetype Revisited: An Updated Natural History of the Self and Evolutionary Psychiatry: A New Beginning, with John Price.
Review :
Praise for Archetype: A Natural History of the Self (1990):
"A remarkable book . . . gives us a kind of Rosetta Stone by which to translate the concepts of Jungian depth-psychology into those of anthropology, ethology, sociobiology, psychology and (even) neurophysiology. It is extraordinarily successful in this ambition, overweening and hopeless as one might have supposed it to be."
Dr Eliot Slater, December, 1982.
"Dr Anthony Stevens has made a major contribution to Jungian studies as well as indicating the common ground between seemingly incompatible disciplines."
Dr Glin Bennet, The British Medical Journal, February 19th, 1983.
"Stevens writes not only with clarity but with refreshing personal commitment . . . we are offered so daring an attempt at synthesis, one that in years to come may well be seen as seminal."
Ronald Higgins, Resurgence, September/October, 1982.
"At last, a well-written definitive book on C.G. Jung's archetypes."
Times-News, September 17th, 1982.
'Like Jung, Stevens writes with flashes of brilliance and insight.'
Kirkus Reviews.
". . . helps to open up an approach to human nature which has relevance to literally everything we do, say, or feel . . . the best general guide so far to the astonishing work done in recent years on how different functions of the psyche are physically centered in the different parts of the brain . . ."
Christopher Booker, Sunday Telegraph, April 25th, 1982.
"Jung was not a good exponent of his ideas and I recommend Dr Stevens’ book as one of the best introductions to his thought and its practical implications." Dr Anthony Storr, Times Literary Supplement.
Praise for On Jung (1990):
"From the beginning of this book, the reader is aware of being in the presence of a seasoned and highly knowledgeable scholar and practitioner . . . . The writing is clear and graceful . . . . This work is distinctive, original in its organization, and pleasing to read."
James Jarrett, University of California, Berkeley.
"This is an excellent book . . . .Many potential readers of Jung feel intimidated by Jung's style and the sheer bulk of his collected works. They could do no better than to turn to Anthony Stevens for enlightenment. He is an exceptionally clear expositor of Jung's thought."
Anthony Storr, The Independent.
"In On Jung Anthony Stevens offers an informative and clear explanation of the basic principles of Jungian psychology . . . . Stevens skillfully employs object relations theory in his analysis . . . . His treatment of the history of Jung's family and the impact of its dynamics on Jung's personality is refreshingly honest."
John-Raphael Staude, The Times Literary Supplement.
"Quite simply, this is quite the best introduction to Jungian psychology that I have seen. A must for anyone who would want to understand Jung’s work….. The reader is treated to both a concise statement of Carl Gustav Jung’s theories of life-stage development and a parallel narrative of Jung’s experiences as he moved through each of these stages. Stevens’s unique method of combining a primer of Jung life-stage theory with a biography of Jung is an effective introduction to the man and his work."
LogosWord Webstore Product Reviews
On Jung was chosen by Deirdre Bair, Jung’s eminent biographer, as one of her Top Ten Jungian Books. She wrote: "On Jung by Anthony Stevens [is] a splendid overview of Jung’s personal and professional development. An excellent introduction to Jung’s life and the origin of his ideas."
Guardian Unlimited, Books
Praise for Archetype Revisited: An Updated Natural History of the Self (2002):
"This is a very welcome arrival after nearly twenty years since the first edition. The new publication is not only a new edition of the original work, but we have the pleasure of reading an update at the end of each chapter. Dr Anthony Stevens is revisiting his Natural History of the Self…… This book I hope will become a standard text for all budding Jungian analysts. More than that. It should be read by all in clinical and academic psychology and psychiatry so as to open the minds and traditions of what is all too often a doctrinaire and dogmatic education."
John Stewart, Harvest
"Reading this book is an enlightening experience. Stevens draws the reader into a wide landscape of exploration which brings with it new and interesting insights and connections. He has endeavoured to cover all aspects of what is meant by the term 'archetype' and to bring the reader up to date with current research and ideas... The book itself is an archetypal exploration of the spectrum of what it means to be human and to live and express humanness and, as such, is an important contribution which is well worth reading."
Journal of Analytical Psychology, no. 48, 2003.
Praise for Evolutionary Psychiatry: A New Beginning (1996):
"When the first edition of this book appeared, I rated it among the top 25 books of the decade. An evolutionary perspective, not yet a dominant theme in orthodox psychiatry, has the potential to integrate physiology, psychology, psychoanalysis and psychopathology. In the revised edition of this highly original book, the authors further document how such a perspective can enrich the clinician's approach to mental disorders. I highly recommend it as first reading to those uninitiated in evolutionary psychology and psychiatry."Hagop S. Akiskal, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Director of International Mood Center, University of California at San Diego, and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Affective Disorders.
"In my view, this attempt at a new paradigm is one of the most fruitful developments in psychiatry in recent years." Dr Anthony Storr, Financial Times, November 23/24, 1996.
Praise for Archetype: A Natural History of the Self (1990):
"A remarkable book . . . gives us a kind of Rosetta Stone by which to translate the concepts of Jungian depth-psychology into those of anthropology, ethology, sociobiology, psychology and (even) neurophysiology. It is extraordinarily successful in this ambition, overweening and hopeless as one might have supposed it to be."
Dr Eliot Slater, December, 1982.
"Dr Anthony Stevens has made a major contribution to Jungian studies as well as indicating the common ground between seemingly incompatible disciplines."
Dr Glin Bennet, The British Medical Journal, February 19th, 1983.
"Stevens writes not only with clarity but with refreshing personal commitment . . . we are offered so daring an attempt at synthesis, one that in years to come may well be seen as seminal."
Ronald Higgins, Resurgence, September/October, 1982.
"At last, a well-written definitive book on C.G. Jung's archetypes."
Times-News, September 17th, 1982.
'Like Jung, Stevens writes with flashes of brilliance and insight.'
Kirkus Reviews.
". . . helps to open up an approach to human nature which has relevance to literally everything we do, say, or feel . . . the best general guide so far to the astonishing work done in recent years on how different functions of the psyche are physically centered in the different parts of the brain . . ."
Christopher Booker, Sunday Telegraph, April 25th, 1982.
"Jung was not a good exponent of his ideas and I recommend Dr Stevens’ book as one of the best introductions to his thought and its practical implications." Dr Anthony Storr, Times Literary Supplement.
Praise for On Jung (1990):
"From the beginning of this book, the reader is aware of being in the presence of a seasoned and highly knowledgeable scholar and practitioner . . . . The writing is clear and graceful . . . . This work is distinctive, original in its organization, and pleasing to read."
James Jarrett, University of California, Berkeley.
"This is an excellent book . . . .Many potential readers of Jung feel intimidated by Jung's style and the sheer bulk of his collected works. They could do no better than to turn to Anthony Stevens for enlightenment. He is an exceptionally clear expositor of Jung's thought."
Anthony Storr, The Independent.
"In On Jung Anthony Stevens offers an informative and clear explanation of the basic principles of Jungian psychology . . . . Stevens skillfully employs object relations theory in his analysis . . . . His treatment of the history of Jung's family and the impact of its dynamics on Jung's personality is refreshingly honest."
John-Raphael Staude, The Times Literary Supplement.
"Quite simply, this is quite the best introduction to Jungian psychology that I have seen. A must for anyone who would want to understand Jung’s work….. The reader is treated to both a concise statement of Carl Gustav Jung’s theories of life-stage development and a parallel narrative of Jung’s experiences as he moved through each of these stages. Stevens’s unique method of combining a primer of Jung life-stage theory with a biography of Jung is an effective introduction to the man and his work."
LogosWord Webstore Product Reviews
On Jung was chosen by Deirdre Bair, Jung’s eminent biographer, as one of her Top Ten Jungian Books. She wrote: "On Jung by Anthony Stevens [is] a splendid overview of Jung’s personal and professional development. An excellent introduction to Jung’s life and the origin of his ideas."
Guardian Unlimited, Books
Praise for Archetype Revisited: An Updated Natural History of the Self (2002):
"This is a very welcome arrival after nearly twenty years since the first edition. The new publication is not only a new edition of the original work, but we have the pleasure of reading an update at the end of each chapter. Dr Anthony Stevens is revisiting his Natural History of the Self…… This book I hope will become a standard text for all budding Jungian analysts. More than that. It should be read by all in clinical and academic psychology and psychiatry so as to open the minds and traditions of what is all too often a doctrinaire and dogmatic education."
John Stewart, Harvest
"Reading this book is an enlightening experience. Stevens draws the reader into a wide landscape of exploration which brings with it new and interesting insights and connections. He has endeavoured to cover all aspects of what is meant by the term 'archetype' and to bring the reader up to date with current research and ideas... The book itself is an archetypal exploration of the spectrum of what it means to be human and to live and express humanness and, as such, is an important contribution which is well worth reading."
Journal of Analytical Psychology, no. 48, 2003.
Praise for Evolutionary Psychiatry: A New Beginning (1996):
"When the first edition of this book appeared, I rated it among the top 25 books of the decade. An evolutionary perspective, not yet a dominant theme in orthodox psychiatry, has the potential to integrate physiology, psychology, psychoanalysis and psychopathology. In the revised edition of this highly original book, the authors further document how such a perspective can enrich the clinician's approach to mental disorders. I highly recommend it as first reading to those uninitiated in evolutionary psychology and psychiatry."Hagop S. Akiskal, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Director of International Mood Center, University of California at San Diego, and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Affective Disorders.
"In my view, this attempt at a new paradigm is one of the most fruitful developments in psychiatry in recent years." Dr Anthony Storr, Financial Times, November 23/24, 1996.
