This work investigates the origins, internal power dynamics, and eventual disintegration of the secret committee established by Sigmund Freud to protect the integrity of psychoanalysis. Phyllis Grosskurth, a historian and biographer, utilizes extensive archival research and correspondence to document how Freud recruited a loyal inner circle to guard his theories against internal dissent and external criticism. The book argues that the committee functioned as a political mechanism, prioritizing ideological purity over scientific discourse during the formative years of the psychoanalytic movement.

Experts recognize this text as a significant contribution to the history of psychology, noting its meticulous use of archival materials to demystify the inner workings of Freud's circle. Readers frequently highlight the dense, scholarly nature of the prose, which provides a comprehensive look at the human fallibility behind the development of psychoanalytic theory.