A beautiful book to read, which does not concern psychoanalytic technique, but is a testament to Erich Fromm's warm empathy and humanistic view of his patients. Despite being considered an excellent social commentator, Fromm was first and foremost one of the great psychoanalysts of our time. These posthumous writings combine two aspects of Fromm's thought, showing how he was influenced by Freudian theory and how he modified it with his own humanistic perspective. For Fromm, the essence of psychological health arose from the complex interaction and conflict caused by the meeting of the Irrational and Rational parts of the personality. In his writings, he often criticized psychoanalysis, but pointed out that this was only to prevent the deterioration of its practice. He strongly believed that analysis existed 'not to cure illnesses but to aid a person's inner freedom'. This edition, marking thirty years since the first English publication of The Art of Listening, redirects attention to Fromm as an analyst and teacher of the art of listening, and includes an updated introduction by editor Rainer Funk.