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This review is from: Jung the Mystic: The Esoteric Dimensions of Carl Jung's Life and Teachings (Hardcover)
After breezing through this book - as it seemed fitting to do - I was left wondering why Lachman wrote this book. We have certainly read this biography many times before. By contrast, Bair's biography is authoritative, Lachman's work left me feeling as though I were reading a magazine. I have to admit an easy read of anything Jungian brings some relief. But still, this is precisely what's missing in the book, that is, depth! Depth of insight, depth of effort in going beyond just mere biographical material and ultimately, digging deeper into this man's psyche - past his "calculations" in an effort to define some mystical truth. Instead, we again learn about Jung's drinking - the Barrel -, the spy story, his being a victim of sexual abuse as a child, but no word on how this critical event might have shaped his personality. Then to dismiss the central criticism of whether Jung was a scientist and side track the question by elevating him to some kind of great artist is patently absurd. Here, Jung was quite right: he was no artist. Lachman suffers from the very thing he accuses Jung of, namely, he doesn't take any real risk. Merely describing Jung's endless fascination with the occult does not bring us any closer to understanding Jung, the mystic. Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D., author, Embodying Osiris.Embodying Osiris: The Secrets of Alchemical Transformation
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