Irving Yalom is one of the most revered writers, and certainly the most revered pyschotherapist, of the past several decades, and yet I think he's underrated. Some on Goodreads point out that Creatures of a Day is "not his best," and while that might be true, it is still one of the most beautiful and penetrating books I've read in some time. The book's title comes from Marcus Aurelius' Meditations: “All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike. All is ephemeral—both

“All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike. All is ephemeral—both memory and the object of memory. The time is at hand when you will have forgotten everything; and the time is at hand when all will have forgotten you. Always reflect that soon you will be no one, and nowhere.” - Marcus Aurelius In this book Irvin D. Yalom talks about the unconscious fear of death we all carry with us. I expected the stories to be more detailed which would've allowed me to follow

“Always reflect that soon you will be no one, and nowhere.” Before I've started reading Irvin Yalom's books, I've never realised just what a big issue death of one must be and what issues the fear of mortality may cause. But I find his way of dealing with his patients very inspiring for me, someone who aspires to be a therapist, I can say that this guy's books really speak to me.

4.5Anyone who has not read Yalom out there: if you want to understand yourselves better, read Yalom.

All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike. All is ephemeral—both memory and the object of memory. The time is at hand when you will have forgotten everything; and the time is at hand when all will have forgotten you. Always reflect that soon you will be no one, and nowhere. (c)

Advanced reading copy Due to be published February 2015I read the psychology classic "The Fifty-Minute Hour" by Dr. Robert M. Lindner over 30 years ago and some of the stories within have stayed with me. The chance to read another non-fiction collection of psychotherapy tales led me to pick Irving Yalom's "Creatures of a Day" off the ARC shelf at work.Dr. Yalom has written a number of books dealing with psychotherapy and philosophy, none of which I have read. In this book he is obviously dealing...

I started this collection with the intent of re-familiarizing myself with Yalom's unique wisdom and forthright regard with his patients. And thankfully it started off promising enough by including some much-needed humor to lighten the air between doctor-patient:Almost able to hear his joints creaking, I took his heavy battered briefcase, held his arm, and guided him to his chair.“Thankee, thankee, young man. And how old are you?”“Eighty years old,” I answered.“Ahhh, to be eighty again.”This exch...

What do you search for in a book? Character, insight, beauty, pain and something that lives on beyond the page. These vignettes, each describing different moments in a therapeutic relationship with varied patients give hope, comfort, insight and also frustrate, agitate and discomfort the reader through the same from Dr. Yalom. This is a book that lives--even as it struggles with death. Truly a gift.

Not Yalom's best, it seems these are perhaps stories not included in previous volumes about his existential psychotherapy practice. Still, it's a very readable book with some insights, some ah-ha moments:"Man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others." Marcus Aurelius.

Yalom describes ten psychotherapy sessions that have not only challenged his professional approach but made his patient as well as himself grow in the process. 'Pass then , through his little space in time in harmony with nature and end the journey in contentment ...' Markus AureliusInspiring, very well written and thought-provoking!

This book consists of ten true stories, interwoven with psychological insights and helpful solutions. Since I saw my feelings mirrored throughout the book, I could hardly hold myself away from each and every story. They all had great impact on my perspective. Their main themes, if I can put it this way, were death anxiety and how to have a meaningful life.What came to my mind while reading was how Yalom, at that time having more than 80 years of age, was critical of himself while approaching eac...

A very insightful book, giving a lot of details around how to cope with death (yours, or your loved ones) and/ or with searching for the scope in ones live. It's that kind of book that you need to read to have an opinion and after you read it you just know that you are not alone with all your "silly" struggles.All characters have been beautifully drawn by the author and it was impossible for me not to empathize with every single one of them. So easy to understand their story, struggles and "sham...

As a fan of HBO's "In Treatment", I found this book satisfying. A collection of 10 vignettes about a psychiatrist treating patients for everything from death anxiety to a lack of self (based on his real-life cases), interwoven with the Stoic and existentialist philosophy of Marcus Aurelius and Nietzche. These probing, philosophical conversations may not be for everyone, but they were my cup of tea, even if I felt some of them fell short of the mark.

Liked it. Short stories, quite independent from each other. Most of them touch the fear of death problem. Like all of Yalom's work..they have some philosophical ideas as well

Creatures of a Day and Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin D. Yalom, Audible Original narrated by Traber Burns, is becoming one of the best listenings of this year that I have listened to and read. Dr Yalom is a psychologist that has had an extraordinary experience. Also, he is a great writer, compassionate and gifted with the ability not only to show patients' points of view but to understand and feel and think. With every book, I enjoy his work his life more and more.

I've recently started seeing a therapist for the first time, and it turns out that she's what's known as an "existential therapist," whose practice is based on the theories of famed analyst Irvin Yalom, which is how it is that I find myself reading a lot of his books myself these days. But while I highly enjoyed the first two titles of his that I read, the older "Every Day Gets a Little Closer" and "Love's Executioner," I was not as enamored with this brand-new one; for while the previous books

Confession: I love Irvin Yalom. I've never met the man and never will. I have no idea if his real-life persona is the same as the one he creates in his books. But the Yalom of his books is one of the kindest, most compassionate, witty, intelligent, and humble people I've encountered. This meditation on mortality, in the form of ten case-studies from his psychiatric practice, is thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful, despite it's focus on the fact that we are, all of us, dying every day. Yalom...

I usually prefer his fiction novels but I must say that this collection of short time frame therapy sessions is excellent. Mature and better than his other books of psychotherapy tales talks about loss and death. In these stories I am sure you will find yourself in there.

Renowned existential therapist and one of the most distinguished and popular authors writing about psychotherapy, Irvin D. Yalom took the title of his new book, Creatures of a Day: And Other Tales of Psychotherapy (Basic Books, February 24, 2015) from Meditations, the private scribblings of second-century Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius on how best to live:All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike. All is ephemeral—both memory and the object of memory. The t...

Re-reading this book was a great experience! The existential issues raised in it hit every man at some point in life and the approach of Dr. Yalom (with his wisdom) make them less troubling...A wonderful book to read again and again...Irvin Yalom for psychiatry is as Oliver Sacks for neurology....