Stephen Prickett

Secret Selves by Stephen Prickett is a very interesting read that serves more as an information source than as a well-rounded history. But there is nothing wrong with that, as he sub-titled it himself, it is 'A' history, not 'The' history. In other words, one way of thinking and framing the history of inwardness, or more accurately in this case, imagination as it applies to individuality.

My rating is slightly higher than what I personally rate it because my issues with it have more to do with becoming weary of his presentation of his mythology (Christianity) as fact rather than mythology. I understand to him, and other believers, it appears as fact, but it has not, and will not, be proven as such, so continuously making it seem so just gets old after a while, especially when it is not necessary for his argument or history.

That said, his readings of the works he uses were very interesting and alone make the book worthwhile. Not really any groundbreaking ideas but I don't think that was what he was trying to do. He was plotting a path, as he saw it, from a more groupthink/external way of identifying to the more individualistic and largely internal way of identifying.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in a history of, or perhaps a series of stops on the path of, our evolving sense of inwardness, interiority, and identifying.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (mere)