Review by Choice Review
The late Anne Dufourmantelle was a philosopher and psychoanalyst in France, and a prolific author. This translation of her 2011 book, which offers a trenchant critique of the psychology of risk aversion, in some sense set the conceptual stage for her subsequent tragic death, attempting to save two children from drowning in turbulent seas. In this fine translation by Miller (State Univ. of New York at Buffalo), there is much to praise: the incisive analysis of sacrifice; the deeply human framing of the risk inherent in simply living; and the broad expanse of subjects treated, including hope, laughter, art, politics, addiction, and terrorism. Dufourmantelle's examination of risk incorporated case studies from the clinic that can remind us of the universal nature of the fears, sacrifices, losses, and refusals common to human psychology. This very rich book will have enormous appeal for readers interested in the intersection of philosophy, psychology, psychoanalysis, and humanistic inquiry. It productively challenges the assumptions of all these disciplines in novel ways and offers, in the final analysis, a redemptive path through that which matters to us most: living and dying well. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. General readers. --Michael Uebel, University of Texas
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
