Book excerpt: The Fabric of Affect in the Psychoanalytic Discourse is a seminal work on one of the most neglected topics in psychoanalysis, that of affect. Originally published in French as Le Discours Vivant, and by one of the most distinguished living analysts, the book is structured in three parts: Affect within psychoanalytic literature Clinical practice of psychoanalysis: structure and process Theoretical study: affect, language and discourse; negative hallucination Written in a clear, lucid style, connecting theory to both culture and clinical practice, this book will appeal to psychoanalysts and psychotherapists, and also to those involved in cultural studies.