This was a very entertaining and informative book!
I had a lot of fun hearing about Freud’s life from so many different perspectives, from his connection to his dogs to his style of working with patients.
Details of Anna Freud also peaked my attention, and gave me more to research in my own time.
There’s no doubt that Freud’s work and theories still impact us today, and I was amazed by the ways that it bleeds into so many aspects of life and how his research has sparked new ideas about the human brain.
I knew very very little about Freud’s life before this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the “father of psychology” through a humorous and educational bundle of essays.

3.5
This collection of a say dealt with anything you can think about a person in this case Freud.
In fact, the topics various from Freud’s life to his approach on psychoanalysis and I would say
that the first one is the one that interests me the most and made me want to continue the book and the narrators were great.
I’ve never studied philosophy, but I always wanted to so this book made me more curious about the subject.

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed reading this one in short bits on the couch! Everyone should add this to their bookshelf or gift to a friend. Loved the format. Thanks NetGalley for the ALC

It just wasn't what I hoped it would be.

Thank you to Siri Hustvedt; Andre Aciman; Jennifer Finney Boylan; Alex Pheby; Colm Toibin, HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for the audio-digital ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

On the Couch is a collection of essays and stories in which writers reflect on some aspect of Freudianism or Freud himself. Like most anthologies, the writing in this work varied in rating. I was surprised by how much the topics varied as well - for instance some works are personal reflections on how Freudianism has shown up in the author’s life while others are historical recounts of Freud’s life or work. There is even one purely fictional short story with a Freudian twist. All essays are well-written and those that delve into history are clearly throughly researched. I listened to the audiobook version of this novel and really liked the voices of both narrators.

I really enjoyed learning more about Freud and his life but the essays that were the strongest in my opinion were the personal pieces. The entries Penis Envy by Jennifer Finney Boylan, My Oedipus Complex by David Michaelis, and Growing up Freudian by Peter D. Kramer were highlights to me. However, I gave more essays in this collection 2s and 3s than I did 4s and 5s. I ultimately struggled to maintain attention through some of the entries.

This novel is definitely worth a read if you are interested in learning more about Freud - just know that you will read about him from a wide varied of perspectives and through writings that may not all be to your liking.

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I wasn’t able to finish this audiobook. I think I would have liked the print version better maybe, or maybe, as a mood reader, this just wasn’t hitting, but life is too short to make yourself listen to or read something that you’re not enjoying! I am someone who really likes psychology and loved the idea of this book, but found it far dryer than I had hoped it would be, and most chapters only tangentially related to Freud.

I will start by saying that I'm a psychotherapist. I'm NOT a psychoanalyst, but like many who have pursued a career in the field of psychology, Freud has always been a character of interest. I was curious to hear takes on Freud, especially as many of his theories now feel a bit outlandish and outdated. This book was interesting, but I don't know if I would say I actively enjoyed it. The collection of stories were obviously related with the common thread of Freud, but some felt like they were more historical and others seemed to just be reflections that would fall into the "weird" category.... like exploring penis envy and being sexually attracted to your mom. I mean I knew it was a book about Freud, but it was just not what I was expecting.

The narration was really great! I have listened to Perry Daniels before and he one of my favorites to listen to. Dina Pearlman also did a great job. I enjoyed that the book had different narrators for different stories, as they otherwise may have flowed too closely together.

Again, this was not what I was expecting to listen to. There were a few stories I was entertained by, and I did learn quite a bit about Freud. I didn't know his wife's sister lived with them, that he had 6 children, and that his cancer was so bad that his dogs couldn't stand the foul smell. I would definitely be interested in learning more about Sigmund Freud's life, but probably not so interested in others' musing on how he has impacted their life.

Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and the narrators, writers, and editor of this ALC for this audiobook!