‘Love’s Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy‘ is the tales of Dr. Yalom’s fascinating patients, each dealing with complex psychiatric issues, which are perhaps not entirely uncommon in a modern society. The book is not one I would have selected myself in a bookshop and was a present from a friend who’s a clinical psychologist. She found the book a riveting read and wanted to share the experience. I am glad she did.
Dr. Yalom’s writing style is personal and warm which helps the reader to build a connection with each patient’s story and assists in understanding some very complex emotions. While the people in the book deal with serious issues, they are all immensely loveable and you can sense the writer’s compassion and deep desire to help them.
Reading the book made me realise that despite our differences, which I think humans tend to be fixated on, we are all connected by our shared human experiences which are all built upon the same emotional building blocks: the love of life, the need to be loved, the little fantasies we indulge in from time to time and our anxieties and fears which surface in all our lives to varying degrees, affecting us all in different ways and to a different extent.
Provided you can accept and process the confronting realisation just how much you may have in common with psychiatric patients, ‘Love’s Executioner‘ is a truly fascinating and enriching journey.
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