Review of Denial of Death by Ernest Becker

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First time read was very painful; being from accounting background, it was tough for me to understand the Pulitzer Prize winning book Denial of Death written by Ernest Becker. After the second reading, one can go multiple times into the book if one wishes because of its depth and richness of insights it provides. The book is about the human psychology; our biggest fear of all – fear of death. The insights presented in the book are not of author himself – these are taken from the Kierkegaard to Freud, Jung to Rank, and other notable analysts of human psychology; however, it is clearly visible that Becker had immensely gone through thousands of books and journal in order to summarize the results i.e. book we are reading, and such a task demands a remarkable devotion from any person and Becker had given all of himself to it.

It is very difficult to pick out something that intrigues me, because I’d found the whole of the book itself enriching and thought provoking. There is a part of me which wholeheartedly accepts the insights provided in the book, and there is another part of me that analyzes the thoughts of the book critically and tries to relate with my life experience so far, and to relate with what I’ve learned so far. More importantly, it provides with the impartial analysis of human behavior and psychology. If you are searching for a book that provides a comprehensive picture of human psycho – theology, this is the book. Man is an animal and god at the same time: it is this paradox which tortures the man his entire life.

“…the deflation of the over – invested partner, parent, or friend is a creative act that is necessary to correct the lie that we have been living to reaffirm our own inner freedom of growth that transcends the particular object and is not bound to it.”

“…you can see that man wants the impossible: He wants to lose his isolation and keep it at the same time. He can’t stand the sense of separateness, and yet he can’t allow the complete suffocating of his vitality.”

“…people use their leaders almost as an excuse. When they give in to the leader’s commands they can always reserve the feeling that these commands are alien to them, that they are the leader’s responsibility, that the terrible acts they are committing are in is name and not theirs.”

There are truths all over the pages in scattered form; Becker had tried to sum of the truth of human being into the pages of the book. Each reading enhances the understanding of the reader by manifold. However, reader must be open – minded while reading the book. It is a must read for the student of human psychology and behavioral development; and it is needless to say that we all are the student of life itself despite of our expertise in day – to – day life. It is a challenging book with crisp writing, and deep thoughts and ideas; one should go directly into the book to for experiencing the adventure it provides.

Rating: 4.9/5