A bold, inspiring piece of historical fiction. Having the guts to portray the likes of Friedrich Nietzsche, Josef Breuer, and Sigmund Freud is impressive enough, telling a story of the origins of psychoanalysis ups the ante again, and it just keeps going. Not only has Yalom pulled it off, his premise and subtext ring bright and true to my ears. I don’t think I’ve encountered an author who sees more value or potential in human relationships, yet also manages to also convey the harsh deceits and conflicts that plague them. I’m eager to sample more of his work.