The Schopenhauer Cure: A Novel by Irvin D. Yalom: book review

The Schopenhauer Cure (2005) is set in San Francisco, America, in the present day. Sixty-five-year-old psychotherapist, Julius Hertzfeld, learns he has a malignant melanoma (skin cancer) during his annual medical check-up, with a year to live. He vows to continue working as a therapist until the end.

The first thing Julius does is turn to the work of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), Thus Spoke Zarathustra, because ‘it was a brave book which more than any other, Julius thought, teaches how to revere and celebrate life.’ Nietzsche preaches to love your destiny and live life to the fullest.

The second thing Julius does is to flip through the notes of his patients. He finds the notes of 26-year-old Philip Slate whom he treated 20 years ago. The chemist, a cold uncaring loner, was a predatory sex addict, but over three years of therapy sessions, Julius failed to cure him, and Slate ceased his treatments.

The third thing Julius does is contact Slate, initially to find out what he’s been doing. Philip is now 48 years old and a therapist – cured of his sex addiction by the teachings of pessimistic German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860). Schopenhauer is famed for saying ‘it is bad today, and everyday it will get worse, until the worst of all happens.’ Russian writer Leo Tolstoy called Schopenhauer a ‘genius par excellence’ and Nietzsche said Schopenhauer’s philosophy changed his life for the better.

During the course of the novel readers learn a bit about Arthur Schopenhauer. HIs father Heinrich committed suicide at 65 when Arthur was 16. His mother, Johanna, then became a renowned novelist and created ‘one of Germany’s liveliest literary salons.’ She was also a ‘dear friend’ of German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). Schopenhauer never married, being ‘an inept seducer, lacking charm.’ For ten years on-and-off he had a liaison with Berlin chorus girl, Caroline Richter-Medon, which ended when he moved to Frankfurt. He was sued by Caroline Marquet in 1823 when he was 35. She alleged that he caused her grievance injury when he pushed her down the stairs. She won the six-year-long ‘bitter court proceedings’ and he was required to pay her compensation annually until her death – which was 26 years later. At 43 he loved 18-year-old Flora Weiss, but she rejected his proposal of marriage.

Mostly Schopenhauer avoided closeness with anyone – male or female. He found people to be ‘miserable wretches, of limited intelligence, bad heart, and mean disposition’ (except Goethe). He lived in Frankfurt for the last 30 years of his life: ‘he had no paid employment, lived in rental rooms, never had a home, hearth, wife, family, intimate friendships. He had no social circle, no close acquaintances, and no sense of community – in fact he was often the subject of local ridicule’ but he was ‘astonishingly personal in his philosophical writings.’ His rage was legendary. And so it was Schopenhauer who became Philip Slate’s model of philosophical thought – and cured him.

Philip needs 200 hours of professional supervision to get his therapy counseling license, so Julius agrees to be his supervisor while learning about the Schopenhauer cure. In exchange, Philip agrees to the condition that he must attend Julius’s intensive group therapy sessions. The group consists of Tony, Rebecca, Bonnie, Stuart, Gill, and Pamela (who is on a two-month pilgrimage in India).

The novel is therefore about the group therapy sessions. Here readers learn about each member of the group, but more about both Philip and Julius, in competition over philosophical approaches to therapy – as well as the attention and respect of the group. Philip, like Schopenhauer, has never drawn pleasure in people’s company – he wants to be a therapist for the money. Compassion comes easily to Julius, but Philip avoids eye contact and speaks in an ‘unemotional, disembodied voice.’ Julius uses personal involvement in his therapy sessions – opening himself to the group – whereas Philip is impersonal, factual, objective, and ‘untouchable.’ Is Philip fit to be a psychotherapist? And is his fate in Julius’s hands?

Then Pam returns to the group – back from India – only to recognize Philip Slate, whom she calls Philip Sleaze. She is devastated that he was invited to join the therapy group. She was a student 20 years ago when he seduced and dumped her. Pam, strong-willed and vocal, makes her points clearly and aggressively. How will Philip’s and Pam’s past ‘relationship’ change the dynamics of the group – and will Philip reveal his addiction?

The novel is an intense discussion on practical psychotherapy – the group therapy sessions. Two philosophies and two approaches to psychological treatment are competing against each other – such as optimism versus pessimism; involvement versus detachment. Simultaneously the deep neuroses of the group members are revealed – who benefits and why? Who do readers form attachments to? And which approach does the reader connect with? Readers gradually become aware that this is a learning experience for them too – and they soon become inevitably and inextricably part of the group therapy sessions - which can be either beneficial or boring.