The Druid of Harley Street

The Druid of Harley Street

The Spiritual Psychology of E. Graham Howe

About the Book

In early 20th-century Britain, interest in psychoanalysis was high, leading to the formation of the famous Tavistock Clinic in 1920. E. Graham Howe was one of the clinic’s founders and the first to publish articles on psychotherapy. At the same time, he was attacked by the “scientific” psychiatry and psychoanalysis communities because he took concepts derived from spiritual practice and existential phenomenology and applied them to an understanding of psychotherapy.
 
Howe’s writings included more than a dozen books and countless articles on a broad range of subjects from schizophrenia to Asian spiritual practices. Through these works he exerted a profound influence on intellectuals such as R. D. Laing, Alan Watts, and Henry Miller, to name a few. Howe also wrote in a simple and clear style, making his work accessible to the general public. The Druid of Harley Street samples the best of his essays, offering timely insights for followers of Jung, Roberto Assagioli, and Mark Epstein; students of somatic therapies; and spiritual and meditation practitioners. The book also offers a fascinating glimpse of a great mind, the notable people in his life, and the heady times in which he lived.

Read more
Close

Praise for The Druid of Harley Street

"An extraordinary labor of love that finally makes the teachings of E. Graham Howe brilliantly available to a wide audience ... This book is destined to become a classic." — M. Guy Thompson, Ph.D, author of The Ethic of Honesty: The Fundamental Rule of Psychoanalysis

"This is a remarkable book. I know of no other work that so intelligently embraces and illuminates the complexities of the ego-Self relationship." — Nathan Schwartz-Salant, Ph.D., author of Narcissism and Character Transformation: The Psychology of Narcissistic Character Disorders

"An exciting, challenging work that helps us look beyond our smaller attitudes and seek a broader, fuller path. Uplifting and therapeutic." — Michael Eigen, Ph.D., Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at New York University and Editor Emeritus of The Psychoanalytic Review

"This book is a tour de force that under one cover includes selections from all of Howe’s writings. Howe illuminates the causes of human suffering by using the language of psychoanalysis to help us understand the mystery of human experience. It is a wonderful book for  both psychotherapists and the general reader to gain greater understanding of what it means to be human." — John M. Heaton, M.D., author of The Talking Cure: Wittgenstein's Therapeutic Method for Psychotherapy

"... Because psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and psychiatry came of age in a secularized world, these are typically regarded as a matter unto themselves, both generated and cured without reference to our spiritual nature. In this landmark and vitally necessary book, the great English psychiatrist E. Graham Howe not only disproves that presumption but provides us with our era’s first truly esoteric and integral psychology. Graciously written, profoundly wise, The Druid of Harley Street is itself an instructive, healing, and liberating meditation that should be in the hands of every psychotherapist—and by the bedsides of the rest of us." — Andrew Harvey, author of A Walk with Four Spiritual Guides: Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Ramakrishna and The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism

"Among the pathfinders of modern psychology, E. Graham Howe was unique in recognizing that, in addition to being the highest biological life form on Earth, human beings are also manifestations of an immanent and omnipresent creative principle, or spirit.  Whether discussing relationship or neurosis or schizophrenia or therapy, Howe never lets us forget that the integration of our dual nature is the necessary means and ultimate goal of the growth process. William Stranger's lucid introduction and deft editing afford us an in-depth and most satisfying look at the work of this profound visionary." — Gabor Maté M.D., author of In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction
Read more
Close

About the Author

E. Graham Howe
Eric Graham Howe was born in England in 1896. His books include Motives and Mechanisms of the Mind, Morality and Reality, The Open Way, and The Triumphant Spirit. A commissioned BBC radio lecturer during World War II, he died in 1975. Editor William Stranger lives in Cobb, CA. More by E. Graham Howe
Decorative Carat

About the Author

William Stranger
Eric Graham Howe was born in England in 1896. His books include Motives and Mechanisms of the Mind, Morality and Reality, The Open Way, and The Triumphant Spirit. A commissioned BBC radio lecturer during World War II, he died in 1975. Editor William Stranger lives in Cobb, CA. More by William Stranger
Decorative Carat

About the Author

William Stranger
Eric Graham Howe was born in England in 1896. His books include Motives and Mechanisms of the Mind, Morality and Reality, The Open Way, and The Triumphant Spirit. A commissioned BBC radio lecturer during World War II, he died in 1975. Editor William Stranger lives in Cobb, CA. More by William Stranger
Decorative Carat

By clicking submit, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy. You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime.

Random House Publishing Group