A review by whipson
The Inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, His Iconic Test, and the Power of Seeing by Damion Searls

4.0

Well-written, well-sourced, and engaging. Having originally dismissed the Rorschach as artistic pseudoscience, this book has given me newfound appreciation for the man and his test. I admire Searls' ability to describe the research in a compelling way, yet maintain a mostly neutral stance between those who promote the test and those who admonish it. It's interesting to see how the test evolved over the years as it was adopted within an array of situations ranging from the psychoanalyst's couch to the Nuremberg prison. I think in the end, however, the author is a bit coy as to his personal views on the test, and he spends almost two chapters waffling between various perspectives. Still, I would wholeheartedly recommend the book to anyone interested in psychology, or even history in general.