The Man Who Never Was: Freudian Tales of Women and Their Men

Father, lover, hero . . . we all have powerful images of "manhood," visions of dream and nightmare. Why do we cling to them so strongly? What harm do they do to us? How can we put it right? To bring these vital issues to life, therapist Janet Sayers tells us stories -- 15 case studies that show both sexes acting out different male stereotypes -- pervert, tomboy, wimp, tough-guy, or Superman. They also trace the way these figures fuel depression, obsessive behavior, or severe, schizoid break-up of personality. These powerful modern tales urge us to make ourselves conscious of our deep, imagined ideas of men and masculinity.