The author of the book is a famous American psychotherapist, one of the most prominent representatives of the existential-humanistic movement, the author of fundamental and detailed works on group and existential psychotherapy. But in this book, Irvin Yalom acts as an experienced practitioner who decided to share with readers the most interesting stories of his patients.

Undoubted literary gift, sincerity and courage of the author, who readily reveals to the reader not only the secrets of the “professional kitchen” , but also his personal failures and weaknesses, turns each of the short stories told in the book into exciting reading not only for professionals, but also for the general reader, because the problems faced by Dr. Yalom’s patients are relevant for absolutely everyone: the pain of loss, the inevitability of aging and death, the bitterness of rejected love, the fear of freedom.