Writings on Psychoanalysis gathers Althusser's major essays on psychoanalytic thought, including a number of never-before-published writings. Documenting his intense and ambivalent relationship with Jacques Lacan, these works dramatize Althusser's intellectual journey and his troubled personal life. Two essays, Freud and Lacan and The Discovery of Dr. Freud, lay the groundwork for comprehending Althusser's entry into psychoanalysis. Other material--including two extended letters to Althusser's own analyst, Rene Diatkine (a bitter enemy of Lacan's), zealously defending Lacan's importance, and a collection of letters between Althusser and Lacan--offers singular insight into his personality, vividly displaying the almost religious fervor with which he pursued his beliefs. Two letters he wrote in 1980 offer his own bitter and paranoid recounting of his violent outbursts during two final encounters with Lacan, a document of the madness that consumed him soon after. Each section of the book includes an informative introductory essay by the editors. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.