Reddit reviews Jacques Lacan (Routledge Critical Thinkers)

I would definitely not start with Lacan if you’re a complete beginner. I would start with later Freud, work my way back to earlier Freud - so that you can see how his thinking changed -, definitely take a dip in the cool waters of object relations, definitely read up on the British Independent Group, and then start with Lacan. When starting Lacan, I’d strongly recommend this book , and then Écrits.

Be warned though. Lacan is not a simple read. Almost all of his publications were transcribed versions of his lectures, and translations from French. French has a vastly different structure from English, and Lacan spoke academic, psychoanalytic French.

I don’t say this to discourage you. Lacan is one of the single most interesting authors I’ve ever read. He’s why I want to become a psychoanalyst. But with that said, he is very challenging, and going in without preparation significantly undercuts your understanding and enjoyment of what you’re reading.