>I need some professional opinions regarding Masson's assertions in The >Assualt on Truth. First, has anyone refuted the claims/assertions that >Masson has made about Freud's and Breuer's collaborations? Robert, Several people have written about this, with varying opinions. Two spring immediately to mind: Seymour Vitz, in "Sigmund Freud's Christian Unconscious", and Frank Sulloway in his revised edition of Freud, Biologist of the Mind. There are others. Masson's "evidence" comes primarily from his reading of Freud's letter to Fliess written in 1896 in which Freud is ruminating on the possible logical inferences of his seduction theory and having to conclude that the incidence of actual child abuse must be higher than he was clearly prepared to believe, since (a) seduction, on Freud's view accounts for neurosis and (b) not all seductions result in neurosis. Given the incidence of neurosis is high, then that of sedcution must be higher. Did Anna >Freud ever sue Masson for the things he said about her in the book? No, but she was mighty displeased. You can read more of this, in janet Malcolm's highly readable "In the Freud Archives" (ironically masson sued her over things she claimed he said. she ultimately lost her case). >What is the overall impression of Masson as a professional historian >and does he lack credibility in historiographical/academic circles? Not high, and yes, he is regarded in some quarters as a "pseudoscholar". > >In short, is Masson considered to be a nut Not a nut -- actually quite ab brilliant man. A sanskrit scholar who embraced Psa like some who gain a wholehearted conversion to religion. or one with apt claims >regarding the archives, Anna Freud, Breuer & Sigmund Freud, etc? > >And would you cite Masson in your own work or would you leave him out? he should be cited, because he occupies a place in recent history of Freud scholarship. Als, he was the editor of the Freud-Fliess correspondence. > Best wishes Geoffrey Blowers Geoffrey Blowers Associate Professor Dept of Psychology University of Hong Kong Tel: (852)-2859-2378(O) (852-2517-1885(H) Fax: (852)-2858-3518 e-mail: [log in to unmask] website: http://www.hku.hk/psychodp/blowers.html