Knots

"I've found no value in this book, despite holding Laing in high esteem for his compassion toward the mentally ill and his provocative challenges to the status quo. I'm thankful that some of his other books have been of so much value to me; this one I don't get.

"Knots" consists of an opening page which suggests that the patterns that follow would correlate significantly with actual problems in human relationships, followed by the patterns themselves. However, there is no example presented of any specific real incident involving any of these "knots". There is no suggestion as to how one might avoid such "knots" if one found oneself in them. There is no reference to other works of Laing or anyone else which might provide further information about such "knots". The patterns seem more wordplay than description to me. I don't see any effective connection between these patterns and real issues I've encountered: I haven't met any Jack or Jill's nor am I aware of having been one. My little brain may spare me from constructing such complicated thought patterns; perhaps I manage to become confused on my own with much simpler ways of thinking.

I'd suggest instead reading Gregory Bateson (if you're interested in how one can get stuck by what's said in a relationship), or something else by Laing if Laing's your interest, or Peter Handke's staggering play "Kaspar" if you like to find real meaning within apparent words of nonsense, or Dr. Seuss if you like intelligent playfulness with words. "
~ Written on 2007-10-26

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity. This book is underrated at 5 stars. This is man's last thought before the flood, a secular prophecy. It's all too intense to read this book according to Miss Marion Jane's interpretation."
~ Written on 1999-05-08

"Dr. Laings book, Knots, illustrates in terms we can easily understand the unusual complexities of human relationships, particularly involving loving or not loving. With apparent child-like simplicity Dr. Laing demonstrates for us what is intuitively complex and daunting. He clarifies what for us is emotional and psychological, using the knot as a metaphore for what we want to see about our relationships that is clouded and only vaguely sensed. To clarify is to confirm. To make visible what is troubling is to give the reader respect for their intuition and possibly even a grasp of how to deal with our relations with each otherl. The power of understanding our relating to others is here in a short text from which we can begin to unknot our mental perplexity and achieve for ourselves satisfying or at the very least, understood, relations with those we love."
~ Written on 1998-11-21

"Jill and Jack both want to be wanted

Jill wants Jack because he wants to be wanted Jack wants Jill because she wants to be wanted

Jill wants Jack to want *Jack to want Jack's want of her want for his want of her want of

Jack's want that Jill want Jack to want Jill to want Jack's want of her want for his want of her to want Jack to want*

*repeat sine fine

(page 49)"
~ Written on 1998-10-15

"'Knots' is Laing's dark, ultra-perceptive account of human relationships. Taking observed situations and distilling them into sets of exact, clear sentences, Laing achieves just the balance between the specific and the general to ensure that you will recognise each portrait either in your acquaintances or, most disturbingly, in yourself. Broadly mirroring the pattern of a life, from a child's observation of adults, through adult sexual relationships and finally to the nihilistic aspects of old age, 'Knots' was and still is a ground-breaking work, and when taken in context with Laing's other writings, forms a formidable source of insight into daily life."
~ Written on 1997-12-02