Art of Silence and Human Behaviour

Theodor Itten lives as a freelance psychotherapist, psychologist and author in Sankt Gallen, Switzerland. He is the author of several books including Rage: Managing an Explosive Emotion, The New Politics of Experience and the Bitter Herbst (with Ron Roberts) and Francis Huxley and the Human condition: Anthropology, Ancestry and Knowledge (with Ron Roberts).Ruth Martin has a PhD in German literature and philosophy. She has translated a diverse range of fiction and non-fiction for UK and US publishers, including short stories by Joseph Roth and essays by Hannah Arendt.

"The book examines the thoroughly contradictory concepts of speech and silence – depending on perspective and the demands of the situation – in a lively, always readable manner, and provides eloquent information on the essential nature of silence and its opposite." Prof. Dr. Volker Tschuschke "Theodor Itten has examined the subject, indeed the very concept of Silence, from so many different perspectives, in his thoughtful and intelligent rendering, it becomes an important antidote for the cacophony that surrounds us every day. The very stillness of the subject is a welcome antidote for the shrillness and hysteria of daily discourses that assault us on every level, from political, to the private and personal. That, in itself, is enough to make the book deserving of an international audience. A book that is desperately needed in the noisily empty times we live in today."Deirdre Bair, Ph.D. Author of Jung: A biography and lately, Parisian Lives: Beckett, de Beauvoir and me. "... is not a purely theoretical discourse, but a fluid reading experience. You don’t have to read it from cover to cover: the skilful use of headings allows you to dip in and pick up the thread in various different places. [It] offers a wealth of interesting facts, brought together in an entirely new way, about the history of silence – first and foremost, in the context of spiritual traditions [...] He has put together a lively compendium." Martin Preisser, in St. Galler Tagblatt"... This book really goes deep into the theme of silence. It sheds light on the topic from various angles, making it a book that enriches and inspires contemplation. You can learn a lot from it, and use it in your day-to-day life. It is very informative, but it also provides entertainment by way of its many examples. The writing style is pleasantly fluid. A very informative book that is a pleasure to read..." kunstundliteratur

• 1. Silentium  2. What We Cannot Speak About  3. Communication  4. Enforced Silence  5. Garrulous Ignorance  6. Open Secrets  7. The False Floor  8. Silence in Law  9. Cartels of Silence  10. All the Rest