Ernest Becker - The Denial of Death

Pros: Profound, accessible, provocative, backed by recent empirical research (Terror Management Theory)

Cons: Some theoretical gaps e.g. homosexuality, paleoanthropology

The Bottom Line: An understanding of Becker's work will bring poignant and difficult, but hopefully positive, insights.

Review: The terror of mortality and the avoidance of this reality is an unconscious and, until recently, largely unexamined element of human psychology and cultural meaning. This knowledge does not necessarily correspond to a belief in personal oblivion; but ...

Pros: The book's ambition, honesty, clarity, and erudition make it truly great.

Cons: A lack of empirical evidence to back up his thesis. Outdated analysis on mental illness.

The Bottom Line: This is the best philosophy/psychology book I've ever read. It changed my entire thought process. I recommend it to anyone who wants to look at their lives more deeply.

Review: "The Denial of Death," which won the Pulitzer prize in 1974 was written as the author, Ernest Becker, was dying of cancer. This specter is in the background of every word he writes here, and I think, forces the author to confront death with an ...