Book excerpt: Renowned psychoanalyst Erich Fromm investigates the universal language of symbols, expressed through dream and myths, and how it illuminates our humanity. In this study, Erich Fromm opens up the world of symbolic language, “the one foreign language that each of us must learn.” Understanding symbols, he posits, helps us reach the hidden layers of our individual personalities, as well as connect with our common human experiences. By grasping the symbolic language of dreams, Fromm explains, we can then also understand the deeper wisdom of myths, art, and literature. This also gives us access to what we, and our society, usually repress. Fromm shares the history of dream interpretations, and demonstrates his analysis of many types of dreams. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erich Fromm including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate.