Love's Executioner

By: Irvin D. Yalom

Narrated by: C.M. Carlson

The collection of 10 absorbing tales by master psychotherapist Irvin D. Yalom uncovers the mysteries, frustrations, pathos, and humor at the heart of the therapeutic encounter. In recounting his patients' dilemmas, Yalom not only gives us a rare and enthralling glimpse into their personal desires and motivations but also tells us his own story as he struggles to reconcile his all-too-human responses with his sensibility as a psychiatrist. Not since Freud has an author done so much to clarify what goes on between a psychotherapist and a patient.

The audio version of the book includes an exclusive interview with Dr. Yalom.

©1989 Irvin Yalom (P)2013 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

Educational story-telling win!

I wasn't sure this book would hold my attention, although I love the subject. I was wrong. The client stories, and Yalom's sharing of what these brought up for him, and reflections on what he learned were absorbing. It's excellent nonfiction for those with an interestest in psychology or counseling, and a great learning tool for those doing this work.

The only downside was the production quality was truly terrible and distracting. The stories are a bit intense and have really profound endings that deserve a moment. However, there isn't even a normal pause at the end. Generally, when starting new chapters, Audible does a good job of inserting a bit of a break, even if just one or two seconds. The lack of transition in this recording was like one long run on sentence. The last word of the chapter was barely out of the narrator's mouth when the start of the next chapter began. It was jarring, and I often had to pause the book and give myself a moment.

There were also obvious splices where words were inserted later, so the entire flow and tone of the narration would jump on a word. This may have been because the narrator pronounced so many of the psychology terms incorrectly, but they didn't do a very smooth fix. It wasn't awful, just something that I noticed as slightly distracting.

Great novel about psychotherapy.

Loved to listen to this novel. The story does show it was written 30 years ago but the themes are relevant to today's culture.

Raw. Real. Refreshing.

Raw. Real. Refreshing. Thank you for such an amazing work. This meant a lot to a new Therapist starting on this journey in her middle age.

An Important Tool for Self-analysis and Comprehending the World

For anyone seeking to more fully analyze him or herself, this is a wonderful tool. Additionally, it outlines pitfalls that can ensnare providers as they care for patients. I highly recommend this book to everyone seeking to gain greater insight.

Fantastic as always

I have been reading Dr. Yalom's books one after another. I am always astonished by and how creative he is in treating each client and how inspiring his works have been! This book has made me think about dreams, life, and relationships in a new way.