"Alex Monk has written a monograph of great urgency and importance, both for the subtlety of its argumentation and its sensitivity to neglected aspects of psychic life. Modernity can no longer pretend that magical consciousness is an artifact of the past, and Monks work triumphs in recommending the integration, rather than the denial, of the weirdness that will not go away." J. F. Martel, author of Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice and co-host of the Weird Studies Podcast
"The curse is a powerful image evoking the inexorable workings of an unseen force that works against us, thwarts our efforts, and condemns us to suffering and struggle. Its a fascinating lens through which to explore clinical work with those individuals who seem perpetually dogged by the dark forces in their own unconscious. This volume artfully ties the age-old, archetypal language of the curse to psychoanalytic thought, providing a unique perspective that brings additional insights to familiar clinical issues." Lisa Marchiano, Jungian analyst and author of Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself
"Alex Monks comparative approach is a much welcome development in psychoanalysis. His psychoanalytic perspective on the 'evil eye' phenomenon illustrates the importance of locating clinical work within cross-cultural contexts that also attend to multiple social factors such as economics and class. Monks clinical presentations are especially compelling as he reflects upon the impact his patients have on him." Marsha Aileen Hewitt, University of Toronto, author of Freud on Religion and Legacies of the Occult: Psychoanalysis, Religion, and Unconscious Communication
"Alex Monk has written a monograph of great urgency and importance, both for the subtlety of its argumentation and its sensitivity to neglected aspects of psychic life. Modernity can no longer pretend that magical consciousness is an artifact of the past, and Monks work triumphs in recommending the integration, rather than the denial, of the weirdness that will not go away." J. F. Martel, author of Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice and co-host of the Weird Studies Podcast
"The curse is a powerful image evoking the inexorable workings of an unseen force that works against us, thwarts our efforts, and condemns us to suffering and struggle. Its a fascinating lens through which to explore clinical work with those individuals who seem perpetually dogged by the dark forces in their own unconscious. This volume artfully ties the age-old, archetypal language of the curse to psychoanalytic thought, providing a unique perspective that brings additional insights to familiar clinical issues." Lisa Marchiano, Jungian analyst and author of Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself
"Alex Monks comparative approach is a much welcome development in psychoanalysis. His psychoanalytic perspective on the 'evil eye' phenomenon illustrates the importance of locating clinical work within cross-cultural contexts that also attend to multiple social factors such as economics and class. Monks clinical presentations are especially compelling as he reflects upon the impact his patients have on him." Marsha Aileen Hewitt, University of Toronto, author of Freud on Religion and Legacies of the Occult: Psychoanalysis, Religion, and Unconscious Communication
