I'm going to start this review out by saying... I think Freud was a little bit of a whackadoodle. Just putting that out there.

That said, there are some things in this book that make sense - in an uncanny way (see what I did there?). The first essay on Screen Memories had me scratching my head and questioning my childhood memories. The essay on Creative Writing and Dreams had me looking at all those creative sorts around me with a new insight.

Then there is the Uncanny essay.

First, let me say that for being such a "big" name, Freud defies the stereotype of boring essays by making these remarkably approachable and interesting. In a way, they almost read like fiction - what with all the "subjects" he casually throws into the conversation.

Now, the uncanny essay - I am studying it so much this summer and it is a treasure trove of delights. Stop for a moment and think about it. Can you define uncanny? If you can't - this essay is for you. (You might want to skip the first part, although if you read it I can talk to you and let you know just how the first part is uncanny in and of itself!).

Highly, highly recommend, especially if you are a fan of the horror or "uncanny" genre of book. Will give you fantastic insights into just what is making those hairs on the back of your neck raise. ( )

This is a remarkable contribution from Freud that is almost entirely ignored by psychology on account of its lack of applicability. But that is a tragedy, because this is a work of first-rate thinking. Freud explores the `Uncanny,' the no longer being at home, and traces its dimensions through literature, dreams, and childhood memories. He also contributes a brilliant speculation into Leonardo Da Vinci, later coined as an exercise in `psychobiography', in which he magnificently uses a single memory to investigate the conflicts and dilemmas of Leonardo's childhood and subsequent artistry and genius. This is a crucial text in Freud's vast body of work, I urge you to read it. ( )