synopsis:

this is a bundle of poems/plays that describe difficulties (knots) in human relationships by way of poetical dialogues: Psychology written in poetry form. it consists of five chapters of different 'knots' - internal conversations that develop into obsessive debates, particularly involving loving and not loving. it shows the ways in which our own minds interfere with our personal relationships, bringing life to a standstill of self-hatred inflicted on those around us.an example of this is the following: "One is inside
then outside what one has been inside
One feels empty
because there is nothing inside oneself
One tries to get inside oneself
that inside of the outside
that one was once inside
once one tries to get oneself inside what
one is outside:
to eat and to be eaten
to have the outside inside and to be
inside the outsideBut this is not enough. One is trying to get
the inside of what one is outside inside, and to
get inside the outside. But one does not get
inside the outside by getting the outside inside
for;
although one is full inside of the inside of the outside
one is on the outside of one's own inside
and by getting inside the outside
one remains empty because
while one is on the inside
even the inside of the outside is outside
and inside oneself there is still nothing
There has never been anything else
and there never will be"

on this book:

R.

D. Laing is a british existential psychiatrist who has written many non-conformable books about the psychology of humans and human relationships. he also travels over the world to read from his work.