Revenge

Narcissistic Injury, Rage, and Retaliation

Contributions by April E. Fallon, Frederick Fisher, Daniel M.A. Freeman, Rama Rao Gogineni, Eve Holwell, Otto Kernberg, Kerry Kelly Novick, Barbara Shapiro, Melvin Singer Edited by Salman Akhtar, Henri Parens

Publication date:

21 November 2013

Length of book:

210 pages

Publisher

Jason Aronson, Inc.

ISBN-13: 9780765710130

Revenge: Narcissistic Injury, Rage, and Retaliation addresses the ubiquitous human wish to take revenge and settle scores. Featuring the contributions of eleven distinguished mental health professionals, it offers a panoramic and yet deep perspective on the real or imagined narcissistic injury that often underlies fantasies of revenge and the behavioral trait of vindictiveness. It describes various types of revenge and introduces the concept of a ‘good-enough revenge.’ Deftly blending psychoanalysis, ethology, religious studies, literary criticism, and clinical experience, the book goes a long way to enhance empathy with patients struggling with hurt, pain, and desires to get even with their tormentors. This volume is of great clinical value indeed!

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Revenge: An Overview
Salman Akhtar, MD

Chapter 2: Green Wounds: Revenge as Preserver of the Self
Kerry Kelly Novick, AB, BA

Chapter 3: Revenge and Reparation: Thoughts About the Treatment of a Boy and His Family
Barbara Shapiro, MD

Chapter 4: ‘As the Twig is Bent, So Grows the Tree’: Reparation, Rage, and Resynthesis
Daniel M.A. Freeman, MD

Chapter 5: Revenge and Reparation: Loss and Restitution
Frederick Fisher, MD

Chapter 6: The Spectrum of Narcissistic Transferences
Otto Kernberg, MD

Chapter 7: Cautionary Tales: A Private Practitioner’s Experience Treating Severe Narcissistic Pathology
Melvin Singer, MD

Chapter 8: Three Literary Characters in Search of Revenge
Eve Holwell, BA

Chapter 9: The Ubiquitous Nature of Revenge: Biopsychocultural Perspectives
Rao Gogenini, MD, and April Fallon, PhD

Chapter 10: Narcissism, Rage, and Revenge: Concluding Commentary
Henri Parens, MD

Addendum
References
Index
About the Editors and Contributors

The cycle of humiliation, revenge, and counter-revenge is a central paradigm which plagues our species. Finally there is a fascinating study of this all too human phenomenon which draws on the insights of child development, psychoanalytic experience, great literature, and biological considerations. Written by premier clinicians and theoreticians, this book is both very rich in ideas and is very readable. Therapists at all levels of experience will learn much from this text and become more able to address these issues in treatment.