Author Dissects Clintons, Discovers Art Muse

photo: Maureen McGettigan

Dr. Paul Lowinger, who lives at Ocean Beach, took seven years to write his book,
"The Clintons Meet Freud, A Psychohistory of Bill, Hillary and Chelsea."

By Jonathan Farrell

After a career in medicine and psychiatry, Dr. Paul Lowinger has found a larger canvas to work with. This is his time to be an artist.

Lowinger has held the titles of chief, director, administrator and professor. But now, as he enters his eighth decade, he has just published a book and his interests are moving toward art, even though he admits never having a strong interest in the topic.

"I envisioned being an educator and researcher," Lowinger said. 

His living room is filled with various works of art, many of which he made.

"I just started being an artist three years ago," he said.

Despite spending many years dealing with serious, complex subject matter, Lowinger says he always kept a sense of humor.

Lowinger's new book, "The Clintons Meet Freud, A Psychohistory of Bill, Hillary and Chelsea," is his second, although he has published more than 100 articles/essays for medical and psychiatry publications.

The book was initiated by a series of articles he wrote, merging science and politics to form a unique perspective.

Lowinger dedicates the book to his wife Margaret, the couple's three children, Larry, Wendy and Leslie, and two grandchildren, Claire and Julian.

"My friend Richard Peterson, who is the webmaster for Z Publishing, requested that I write a psychohistory for his website," Lowinger said.

Some topics were suggested, including Pope John-Paul II and Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, but Lowinger decided to write about the Clintons. He decided to look at the former First Family because of their idealism and opportunism.

Lowinger clarifies he is not a psychoanalyst, but has an appreciation of Freud and Jung, among others. The book is written, he says, to leave some interpretations up to the reader.

According to Susanna Bonetti, the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute's librarian, Lowinger's analysis of the Clinton family is on the mark, insofar as using "established analytical theory to evaluate a human personality."

Bonetti said Lowinger's book would become part of the institute's collection.

While writing the book, Lowinger was invited to speak to a group of political science students at the University of San Francisco.

Professor Ange-Marie Hancock invited him to speak to her students in the fall of 2000, while she was teaching a course in political psychology. She currently teaches at Yale University.

Hancock recalled that her students read Lowinger's work and had an interesting exchange.

"It was positive," she said.

Lowinger said the Clintons were fair game because all politicians, by virtue of being in the political arena, are subject to scrutiny.

"The conclusions are my own - everything is documented," he said implying, the book remains within boundaries.

As he looked out from the balcony of his living room to view the vast horizon of Ocean Beach, Lowinger said he is excited about getting back to his new challenge - creating art.

"The Clintons Meet Freud, A Psychohistory of Bill, Hillary and Chelsea," is published by Knoll Press. It is available at Barns & Noble. For more information, go to the website at www.bn.com.