Anyone interested in the late Dr. Carl Jung who are unfamiliar with the posthumous publication of his Red Book may enjoy tapping into the NY Times article "The Holy Grail of the Unconscious" by Sara Corbett. Very lengthy article but informative of the journey of this book coming into publication after so many years.
Amazon is asking $122.85 for this tome. However, the bonus of a visit to Amazon is the introduction of Michael Dira of the Washington Post Book World who has written an excellent and lengthy overview of the book. Used copies of the book are selling for more than new copies!
A Jungian friend brought her copy to my home yesterday and what a journey it was going through this more than 400 page tome, printed on high quality parchment, 18" x 12.l" x 2.4" and weighs in at 9.4 pounds. I turned every page, stopping at those of special interest due to the art work.
Dr. Jung recorded his inner world in calligraphy script, written in German complete to mandala art and meticulously exquisite calligraphic lettering. The second half of the book provides the translation into English by a London-based historian, Sonu Shamdasani, who spent three years persuading the family to endorse the publication of the book and allow him access to it. Sonu, 46, spent more than five years on the translation of this work. It is claimed that "He has studied Jungian psychology for more than 15 years. He is particularly drawn to the breadth of Jung's psychology and his knowledge of Eastern thought, as well as the historical richness of his era, a period when visionary writing was more common, when science and art were more entwined and when Europe was slipping into the psychic upheaval of war."
The mystery of the hidden Red Book in a cupboard in the Jung home is covered in the NY Times article.
We have Stephen Martin and Sonu Shamdasani to thank for patiently working with the Jung family and eventually convincing them to release this work. They co-founded the Philemon Foundation, a Jungian foundation and did the fund raising for support of the work on the Red Book.
Last night, as I have not infrequently done over the years, I took from my book shelves, Memories, Dreams, Reflections by C.G.Jung. The date on the inside of this treasured book, a gift from a friend was February 15, 1971. The pages are yellowed, the binding shows cracks where pages threaten to detach. While the aging paper is not healthy for my unhealthy lungs, nonetheless my sentiment and nostalgia as well, sent me to Amazon to reorder this book, a brand new edition but later printing to avoid the paper dust/mites. I will retire my overworked but treasured copy with all its marginal notes. I am smiling thinking that one day one of my children, grandchildren or even great grandchildren may learn a bit about this ole gal from marginal notes linked to Jung's paragraphs but hopefully, to pursue the journey of this enigmatic genius who like no other, probed the depths of the psyche, dredged up the creative genius of his being! A mystic indeed as well as a great depth psychologist.
As Jung was overheard to have said, "Thank God, I am Jung....and not a Jungian." It is easy to understand his view, is it not?
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