Through his early ground-breaking books and later bestsellers such as To Have or to Be and The Art of Being, Erich Fromm built a reputation as a brilliant psychoanalyst and became one of the foremost cultural critics of our time. This selection of his essential writings, which includes many previously unpublished texts, will delight both afficionados and newcomers to his work. Why is it so difficult to break away from the kind of existence based on having - conspicuous consumption - and, instead, lead a life which is truly satisfying? Fromm argues that many unconscious factors play a role in the individual's attraction to superficial, false ways of living. To cultivate happiness and fulfilment, as well as an enlightened society, each of us must live more consciously, become more aware of what is really important. To put down roots yet remain free is what Fromm called the Art of Being - the secret of happiness. The texts featured in The Essential Fromm define the differences between mere having and healthy being: between destructiveness and creativity, between passivity and the joy of positive activity.