Synopses & Reviews
A renowned Washington, D.C.andndash;based psychoanalyst examines George W. Bush's public personaandndash;and asks serious questions about whether he is fit for the office he holds.
In Bush on the CouchFrank offers a comprehensive psychological profile of President George W. Bush using the principles of Applied Psychoanalysis, the discipline of psychoanalyzing public and historical figure pioneered by Freud. With an eye for the subtleties of human behaviour sharpened through thirty years of clinical practice, Frank traces the development of Bush's character from childhood to present day, identifying and analyzing Bush's patterns of thought, behaviour and communication. A thorough and authoritative examination of Bush's public appearances and speeches, along with historical, biographical, and journalistic records, Bush on the Couch is a compelling portrait of George W. Bush, filled with controversial and disturbing revelations about our nation's leader.
Insightful and accessible, courageous and controversial, Bush on the Couchsheds startling new light on the Bush psyche and its impact on the way he governs, tackling headandndash;on the question no one seems willing to ask: Is our president psychologically fit to run the country?
o With the wild popularity of Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, his #1 New York Timesbestsellers Stupid White Menand Dude, Where's My Country?,and antiandndash;Bush reads by writers like Al Franken and Molly Ivins, the Bushandndash;sceptical audience is more engaged and highly motivated than ever.
o From the contentious presidential election of 2000 to 9/11, from the War in Iraq to the War on Terrorism at home and abroad, Bush's presidency is one of the most controversial in the history of the U.S. In Bush on the Couch, Dr. Frank dissects the psyche of President Bush and unearths shocking revelations about the mind of the leader of the free world. With three decades of experience, Dr. Justin Frank is an expert in the field of psychoanalysis. He has written and lectured widely on psychoanalysis and politics. A former columnist for Salon.com, the recipient of numerous teaching awards, coandndash;director of the Metropolitan Centre for Object Relations in New York, a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at George Washington University Medical Centre, and a teaching analyst at the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, Dr. Frank's copious credentials speak for themselves.
Synopsis
With the Bush administration in permanent crisis, a renowned Washington psychoanalyst updates his portrait of George W.'s public persona—and how it has damaged the presidency.
Insightful and accessible, courageous and controversial, Bush on the Couch sheds startling new light on George W. Bush's psyche and its impact on the way he governs, tackling head-on the question few seem willing to ask: Is our president psychologically fit to run the country? With an eye for the subtleties of human behavior sharpened by thirty years of clinical practice, Dr. Justin A. Frank traces the development of Bush's character from childhood through his presidency, identifying and analyzing his patterns of thought, action, and communication. The result is a troubling portrait filled with important revelations about our nation's leader—including disturbing new insights into:
- How Bush reacted to the 2006 Democratic sweep in Congress with a new surge of troops into Iraq
- His telling habits and coping strategies—from his persistent mangling of English to his tendency to "go blank" in the midst of crisis
- The tearful public breakdown of his father, George H. W. Bush, and what it says about the former president's relationship to his prominent sons
- The debacle of Katrina—the moment when Bush's arrogance finally failed him
With a new introduction and afterword, Bush on the Couch offers the most thorough and candid portrait to date of arguably the most psychologically damaged president since Nixon.
About the Author
Justin A. Frank, M.D., is a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at George Washington University Medical Center. Since 1980 he has been a teaching analyst at the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute. He is past president of the Greater Washington Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Dr. Frank lives and practices psychoanalysis in Washington, D.C.