Princess Diana, Modern Day Moon-Goddess: A Psychoanalytical and Mythological Look at Diana Spencer's Life, Marriage, and Death - Tapa dura

BOOK DEVIL REVIEW: I’ve never been one to find fascination with the royal family. I just never understood the grip they have on fans, particularly this side of the Atlantic. However, in no way could I miss out on examining Jane Goldberg’s and Lochlainn Seabrook’s “psychoanalytical and mythological look at Diane Spencer’s Life, Marriage and Death.” Though some could fairly argue that the archetypal and mythological applications this book makes to Diana’s life are either vague and easy, or else forced, I still say this is interesting and insightful and has something real to say. At least I learned something. I now have a better grasp on the thrall in which Diana fans are held. Diana and the royal family at large inhabit a sort of modern mythology, a secular mythology, with roots in Freudian and Jungian subconscious psychology, but also with roots in ancient pagan proto-religions. Goldberg and Seabrook dive through one of Seabrook’s favorite topics - the matriarchal foundations of man’s religions and the suppression of the Moon-Goddess in favor of the patriarchal Sun-God (later “Son”-God, another of Seabrook’s favored subjects) - and in the process they apply these concepts to Diana and Charles, their marriage, divorce, etc. The authors even point out some compelling synchronicities in Diana’s death. It’s a short book - I blazed through it in less than a day’s time - but the blazing was also fueled by the interest factor of this unique material. Some will balk, others will embrace it wholly. In any case, this a surprising and captivating, not to mention creatively imaginative (in a positive, mythic fashion), work of academic literature. It’s worth a peek even if you, like me, are not a British royalty aficionado, but have an interest in mythology at large, as well as in psychology, particularly of the Jungian variety. That last bit is where psychology and mythology can really be seen to dovetail, as more fully expounded by the brilliant Joseph Campbell, whose thoughts on this book I’d love to have had. - KRISTOFER UPJOHN.

In Princess Diana, Modern Day Moon-Goddess: A Psychoanalytical and Mythological Look at Diana Spencer's Life, Marriage, and Death, esteemed psychoanalyst Jane G. Goldberg, Ph.D. and award-winning historian and author Colonel Lochlainn Seabrook have joined forces to create an altogether unique and intriguing nonfiction work on one of the most beloved figures of all time.

Goldberg, a Louisiana native and now a New York therapist, sees Diana's growth - from self-deprecating ingénue, to royal mother, to powerful and independent woman - as an inevitable process in the Princess' climb toward self-actualization, one cut short by numerous tragic missteps. Seabrook, a religion and mythology scholar, seventh-generation Kentuckian, and a cousin of Diana, views her life and death as fated, made more understandable by comparing her with her ancient namesake, the Old European Moon-Goddess Diana, with whom the Princess of Wales shared many uncanny similarities.

Combining psychoanalytic and mythological perspectives, the authors weave an engaging interpretation of Lady Spencer's life, one that includes an examination of her marriage to Prince Charles, their breakup, her short bout with freedom, and her eerie death after a crash in a gloomy Parisian tunnel, synchronistically named "Bridge of the Moon-Goddess."

All is cast in the light of ancient myths surrounding the Pagan lunar-deity Diana, known in ancient Greece as Artemis. As Princess Diana's psycho-mythic drama unfolds, we are treated to a veritable introduction to both depth psychology and comparative mythology, languages that Goldberg and Seabrook use to ably describe the shy aristocrat's rise to fame and fortune and her fall into tragedy and darkness.

The Foreword is by noted psychoanalyst Dr. Phyllis W. Meadow. A respectful book in the mold of the venerable Sigmund Freud and Robert Graves, it includes a comprehensive bibliography, detailed index, and numerous quotes by the universally admired "People's Princess." With its fresh and provocative insights, Princess Diana, Modern Day Moon-Goddess is a must-read for anyone interested in Lady Di, psychology, or mythology.

Goldberg is a practicing psychoanalyst and recognized as a leading authority in the fields of psychological oncology and holistic health. She is the author of eight books, including the acclaimed The Dark Side of Love: The Positive Role of Negative Feelings.

Seabrook, a descendant of the Spencers, is the recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal and the author of over 50 popular books that have introduced hundreds of thousands to the hidden truths about Jesus, Christianity, and the Bible. His works include the international blockbuster, Jesus and the Law of Attraction: The Bible-Based Guide to Creating Perfect Health, Wealth, and Happiness Following Christ's Simple Formula; as well as Seabrook's Bible Dictionary of Traditional and Mystical Christian Doctrines; Jesus and the Gospel of Q; Christmas Before Christianity; Christ is All and in All; The Goddess Dictionary of Words and Phrases; The Book of Kelle: An Introduction to Goddess-Worship; The Bible and the Law of Attraction; and Britannia Rules: Goddess-Worship in Ancient Anglo-Celtic Society.