Lacan: A Beginner's Guide (Beginner's Guides) [Paperback]

Having previously read both the Writers and Readers Lacan for Beginners and Introducing Lacan books and now this introduction, I have to say that this is easily the best out of the three. The other two readings came across at times as cribbed notes or condensed primers that would supplement previous learning rather than a straight forward guide for the novice. There is no getting away from the fact that Lacan offers a system of thought that has to be learnt, and once the building blocks are in place a rich journey awaits. Maybe to over-simplify at the beginning could actually confuse matters. However it is with irony that re-reading the cartoon guides again, brought a whole layer of rich meaning that was locked out first time round. They have an almost poetic resonance that Bailly's book more than amply fleshes out.

Particular highlights for me are the very strong explanations of the 'four discourses' of the Hysteric, Institution, Master and Analyst which based on 'mathemes' I found inpenetratable elsewhere. Also the description of 'sexuation' in establishing gender is lucidly described after the groundwork for understanding this concept in preceding chapters is logically and plainly layed down.

Lacan is famed for his emphasis on the capturing of the image at the 'mirror stage' in the development of the ego and the representation of the Other in language, i.e. the imaginary and symbolic registers as alienating features of the Subject or Self. A considerable amount of explication is provided to the rest of the interconnecting web of Lacan's theory, in his notions of the Real, the Sinthome, the Object Petit a, The Name of the Father, Desire, Jouissance and The Phallus. It is the nature of Lacan's theory that each concept does not remain in isolation and benefits from over-layered multi-threaded analysis that can only be obtained with training and over time, before professional intuition applied.

A welcoming aspect is how much I was made aware of the zeitgeist of early 20th century thought. By being introduced to the major influences in Lacan's work, such as Henri Wallon, Saussure and Levi-Strauss there is a sense that Lacan was prepared to beg, borrow and steal in formulating his theory, and an indication that there could be more developments to come from post-Lacanians or research clinicians keen to adapt Lacan to contemporary thought. By emphasising the shifting nature of the signifier as part of a code or continuous chain of meaning, Lacan's cultural antennae is tuned into post-structuralism, which explains why his concepts have been readily adopted by students of post modern cultural critical analysis.

The latter part of the book explains what to expect from a trained Lacanian for someone thinking about becoming attached to the therapeutic couch. The practise borders on eastern zen mysticism with a constant peeling back of the ego (moi) through oblique hints, pregnant pauses, and even variable session times which are meant to lead the analysand into moments of realisation as the the signifier chain of the Subject is exposed. It was fascinating to learn how Lacanians are wary of transference (and counter-transference) if not handled properly, and that the ultimate aim of analysis is to amplify the desire of wanting to know what the client believes can only be found in the analyst (the subject-supposed-to-know), who in fact is equally lacking!! Divesting the easiness in which our power is offered to Others, i.e. by external and internal representation (from what positions are we identified?) due to how we are born into primary helplessness, is the path towards individuation the analyst helps the analysand to walk - until discarded.

This book is undoubtedly one of the best books to on the work of the French Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan. Lionel Bailly skillfully introduces major Lacanian concepts in an accessible way. This book is for readers who may not know about the work of Jacques Lacan or who have been discouraged to engage with his complex, and some say, obscure writings. The author seems to have had the reader in mind and it feels that he has spent much time thinking about the best way to explain Lacanian concepts. The book is nicely structured and very well-written. Chapters are illustrated with case studies and clinical examples that support a better understanding of the concepts that are presented in each section. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to discover the work or Lacan.

I am two chapters into the book and I have learned so much, not only about Lacan, but about Psychoanalysis. I have read many books around psychoanalysis and this one is proving to be one of the best. I am learning so much of value. I have stopped underlining helpful text because there is more underlined in these first two chapters than not underlined! Thanks Mr Bailly. Enormous value.