Blurb
"There's nothing more endearing than a family memoir in which the author is actually fond of his family. It's rare; it's close to miraculous...
I hated to see this book end. I loved every person in it... Growing Up Jung is a gem." [more...]—Washington Post
Book
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Micah Toub
Coming of Age as the Son of Two Shrinks
a memoir
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W. W. NortonMore info at
Doubleday CanadaAs the son of two Jungian therapists, the young Micah Toub got a double dose of insight, ranging from the flaky to the profound. Dreamwork, archetypes, conflict resolution, the mind-body connection—Toub’s childhood was a virtual laboratory of psychology.
A mysterious growth on his father’s nose embodied the conflict that would lead to his parents’ divorce. Family meetings involved dream analysis and intense emotional unburdening. As a young adult, Micah chased his “anima” in the form of a fickle poetess who eventually broke his heart, but then a series of coincidences later identified as “synchronicity” led him to his fiancée.
Enriched with excerpts from Carl Jung’s own memoir, and informed by readings and conversations with Jungian gurus and unbelievers alike, Growing Up Jung intelligently examines the pros and cons of Jungian philosophy as we witness Toub embrace his “shadow” and meditate with his “ally” in that elusive quest for “individuation.” While tackling themes like the anima, the Oedipus complex, and transference, it addresses the question: is it possible for the spawn of two shrinks to reach adulthood mentally unscathed?
Praise For Growing Up Jung:
“I loved my trip through Micah Toub’s psyche. It’s a fascinating — and wonderfully bizarre — place.”
—A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically“With endearing vulnerability, Micah Toub has managed to bring Jung out of the realm of dreams and into a much more concrete area — that which exists directly underneath the sternum.”
—Kathryn Borel, author of Corked: A Memoir“Maturing in the shadow of concepts that are sometimes wacky and sometimes wonderful makes for a complex journey that Toub renders in remarkably clear prose and often down right thigh thumping hilarity. Read this book if you want to gain insight into how one child walked the treacherous path from infancy to manhood; read it, as well, if you want a broad-minded tour guide to lead you through the thicket that was Jung and Freud.”
—Lauren Slater, author of Opening Skinner’s Box“Toub has emerged triumphant—by writing a hilarious, well-observed book. I laughed, I cringed.”
—Henry Alford, author of Municipal Bondage“Rich with stories, insights, Jungian history, and even affection for the author’s flawed but loving parents.”
—Elizabeth Benedict, author of Almost: A Novel, and editor of Mentors, Muses & Monsters: 30 Writers on the People Who Changed Their Lives“Toub grows up probing and probed, puzzled, funny and wise: a real-life Charlie Brown who lets us glimpse the clutter behind the family self-help counter.”
—Marc D. Lewis, Professor of Developmental Psychology and Neuroscience, University of TorontoRead Reviews and Press for Growing Up Jung…
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