Bronislaw Malinowski (1884–1942) is a famous British anthropologist of Polish origin. He has written a number of fascinating books about the beliefs and customs of the natives of New Guinea and the Trobriand Islands. The work brought to the attention of the reader is not only another exciting study that describes the hidden aspects of the life of the amazing inhabitants of Oceania, but also a document of the era. Malinovsky was one of the first to apply the principles of psychoanalysis in other areas of science, although he used these principles far from unconditionally. The book, written during Freud's lifetime, is a vivid and compelling polemic against the ideas of the founder of psychoanalysis and his followers. Arguing with psychoanalysis, the scientist examines in detail the problem of the Oedipus complex using rich material from the life of a matrilineal society, and then gradually expands the range of interests of anthropology, mastering the “intermediate area between the science of man and the science of animals.” The book will be of interest not only to specialists in the field of anthropology and psychoanalysis, but also to a wide range of readers.