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Appendices
- State University of New York Press
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Appendix A A Dreams Reading List (and Other Resources) Where should the dreams student and aspiring teacher turn for a core education on dreams, and for possible texts for assignments? We mention here books that we have found to be particularly useful—to us. Other books have influenced other persons, so we don’t tout our list as definitive. The central section on dreams in Freud’s Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis may be the most lucid and accessible introduction to Freud’s controversial but path-breaking theory. The shorter text On Dreams still fulfills its original function as a quick but complete run down of Freud’s theory. We would reserve the study of Freud’s classic The Interpretation of Dreams, certainly one of the most important books of the 20th century, for courses undertaking extensive study of psychoanalytic approaches to dreams and the unconscious, or to cultural or historical studies. The collection Essential Papers on Dreaming offers many recent perspectives on the psychoanalytic theory of dreams which may be selectively presented to students, and Mark Blechner’s The Dream Frontier represents a particularly illuminating attempt to revise psychoanalytic dream theory in the light of more recent discoveries. Another useful source is Basic Freud, by Michael Kahn. Richard Wollheim’s Sigmund Freud remains the best introduction for the instructor who wishes to comprehend Freud’s view of dreaming in the context of his theory of mind, as well as of philosophical and cultural issues. Carl Jung is the other great modern historical writer on dreams, and his theories continue to carry much weight. Jung’s essay “Approaching the Unconscious ” in the volume Man and His Symbols is a particularly accessible explanation of the role of dreaming in the theory of analytical psychology. Other essential essays on the topic may be found in the volume Dreams, and in Psychological Reflections. Jung’s discursive style can make it hard for students to grasp 209 210 Appendices key points; we find Maria Mahoney’s The Meaning in Dreams and Dreaming, Mary Ann Mattoon’s Understanding Dreams, Robert Bosnak’s A Little Course on Dreams, and The Wisdom of the Dream, by Stephen Segaller and Merrill Berger, to be particularly helpful guides. Barbara Hannah’s Jung: His Life and Work is an interesting memoir. A bridge between Freud’s and Jung’s classic theories and more contemporary material is The Forgotten Language, by Erich Fromm. Kelly Bulkeley’s An Introduction to the Psychology of Dreaming offers a focused overview of the topic. Another short but fine introduction is Charles Rycroft’s The Innocence of Dreams. The Secret Language of Dreams by David Fontana is a concise introduction that is especially good at conveying the visual quality of dreams. Robert Van de Castle’s Our Dreaming Mind (soon to be out in a revised edition) may be the most complete comprehensive survey, well adapted to the undergraduate student’s needs and interests; and Ole Vedfelt’s The Dimensions of Dreams is similarly valuable. Another wide-ranging review, although pitched above the reach of nonspecialist undergraduates, is Anthony Shafton’s Dream Reader—Contemporary Approaches to the Understanding of Dreams. Ernest Hartmann ’s Dreams and Nightmares integrates much material into a compelling and highly accessible view of the “origin and meaning of dreams”; his forthcoming work, The Nature and Functions of Dreaming, should be eagerly anticipated by all dream educators. All About Dreams by Gayle Delaney is particularly good in its treatment of how dreams have been viewed historically and in its discussion of ways to interpret dreams. Dreamworking, by Stanley Krippner and Joseph Dillard, is a thoughtful treatment with helpful guidance for using dreams in one’s personal life. Patricia Garfield’s writings, especially The Dream Messenger and The Healing Power of Dreams, are fine examples of books focusing on the use of dreams in psychological and physical healing. In Dreaming Beyond Death, Kelly Bulkeley and Patricia Bulkley thoughtfully explore the role of dreams in terminal illness. Robert Moss sets forth provocative ideas about dreams’ connections with spiritual dimensions in Conscious Dreaming and in The Secret History of Dreaming. Alvin Mahrer’s Dreamwork in Psychotherapy and Self-Change is an excellent entry to the use of dreams in clinical work and training. Trauma and Dreams, edited by Deirdre Barrett, discusses trauma as instigators of troubling dreams and the role of dreams in healing from trauma. In The Wilderness of Dreams, Kelly Bulkeley explores religious meanings of dreams in the West and delves deeply into perplexing...