This book is an accessible introduction to the life and basic ideas of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis and an iconic figure in the history of psychology.

Janet Sayers provides an accessible general overview of the early stages of Freud's life and work, starting from his childhood. It includes the stories of his most famous patients (Dora, Little Hans, the Rat Man, Judge Schreber, and the Wolf Man) and examines Freud's central ideas, such as psychosexual development, the Oedipus complex, and psychoanalytic therapy. The author also covers Freud's later work and his observations on depression, mental trauma, and the death instinct, as well as the theory he formulated in 1923 about the id, ego, and superego.

This is a comprehensive and useful guide, particularly relevant for scholars from various fields who wish to understand Freudian concepts and ideas, as well as for readers who are generally interested in psychology.