Civilization and Its Discontents: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader Audiobook By Sigmund Freud, James Harris - translator cover art

Civilization and Its Discontents: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Civilization and Its Discontents: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader

By: Sigmund Freud, James Harris - translator
Narrated by: Kevin Ivie
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $6.95

Buy for $6.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Civilization and Its Discontents is a book by Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis.

It was written in 1929 and explores what Freud sees as the important clash between the desire for individuality and the expectations of society.

The book is considered one of Freud's most important and widely read works, and one of the most influential and studied books in the field of modern psychology.

This book has been carefully adapted in to modern English to allow for easy listening.

Enjoy!

©1929 Sigmund Freud, "Translation" 2019, James Harris (P)2019 James Harris
Developmental Psychology Education Philosophy
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Civilization and Its Discontents: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Narration 3.5 / 5 due to pacing.

This is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author. I’ve not finished it yet, but I’m posting a review more on the narrator.
This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Kevin Ivie ) and I would listen to another. I prefer to speed up books when listening but found this was a tad of an issue here. Mildly sped up was a little at times, too slow for me , but when I speed it up a bit more, sometimes things ran together too much. This was mainly due to him changing the pacing of his narration. Otherwise, . I think he read this content well.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

A quick sample of great ideas from a Master

In a short well performed Audio book the listener is treated to a true classic.It is required to listen more then one time to absorb all the material presented.





This Book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Fascinating

This is a fascinating look at some of the thoughts and ideas of one of society's primary psychologists. There is too much information to digest and understand in just one listen, as it moves rather quickly, but the ideas and theories are absolutely fascinating. I'm glad I gave it a listen and I will probably revisit it again. It's a quick, stimulating listen.

The narration was good and suited an informational discussion.

I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Just, wow...

I hadn't read any of Freud's works but from what I had heard, I expected his observations to not make so much sense since a lot of what he had written has been discredited relative to current psychoanalytic practice.

Not being a psychoanalyst I can't say what it is that they've discredited but I was quite impressed at Freud's observations. Aside from the mind-boggling creativity with which he approached his works, some of his theories seem to make sense of what on the surface feels too complex to explain, and my impression is that that is precisely what he sought out to do. And contrary to the impression I had been given that he was stubborn in defending his ideas against other and more sensible perspectives, at least in this book he admits what he has yet to suss out, and yet has had the courage to offer his speculation and a dispassionate defense of what undergirds it, and undermines it.

I had come to this book from the direction of my new interest in the writings of Carl Jung, and it's interesting to make comparisons, and take note of what seem to be veiled references to Jung in this work especially as it pertains to the development of and maintenance of Religion.

This book was exceptionally thought-provoking and will bear repeated reading - something that given all that has evolved since he wrote it is sufficient to note. I certainly will review it again, expecting to obtain something new each time.

The narration was clear and professionally recorded. Well done!

I received this book at no cost with the agreement that I would provide my unbiased review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Food for Thought

Freud has made a lot of observations about the world that are mind blowing, but listening through this piece takes that a step farther. What is it about society that causes people to be discontent? It’s a simple but interesting question. While society may have made life easier for us as a whole, it has made it harder as an individual.

Freud lists the ideas that to cope with this an individual can become a recluse or they can try to help fellow man. Either option poses its own psychological effects to the individual.

Throughout his musings, Freud poses another interesting question: who’s to say that modern man is happier now than men in previous societies? To Freud, the way that happiness is created is through a stark contrast of needs being met after being neglected for so long. Under this idea, it goes to reason that if a person has no needs to meet, then happiness will be something that they do not understand.

Although short, this audiobook definitely gives you a lot to think about when it comes to society and why there are many people who still turn to activity such as rape and murder.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Nicely performed, unfortunately the content is archaic.

There are so many things I didn’t agree with in this book. According to Freud we all are just a packages of walking hormones which while unsatisfied are developing different neurosis.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Poor translation with errors

This translation contains many errors— to many changes that were not implied in the text. A complete waste of a credit, and an incompetent translation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!