Book excerpt: Understanding Classical Psychoanalysis gives a clear overview of the key tenets of classical Freudian psychoanalysis, and offers a guide to how these might be best understood and applied to contemporary psychoanalytic theory and practice. Covering such essential concepts as the Oedipal complex, narcissism and metapsychology, Fayek explores what Freud’s thinking has to offer psychoanalysts of all schools of thought today, and what key facets of his work can usefully be built on to develop future theory. The book will be of interest to psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists in practice and training, as well as teaching faculties and postgraduate students studying Freudian psychoanalysis.