The Red Book, also known as Liber Novus  (New Book in Latin), is a 205-page manuscript written and illustrated by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung.

Jung’s heirs refused to permit publication of this book and did not even allow scholars access to it. Until September 2009, only about two dozen people had seen it. Historian Sonu Shamdasani, an employee of the Jung heirs and their advisor in the handling of unpublished Jung material finally persvaded Ulrich Hoerni, Jung’s grandson and manager of the Jung archives, to publish it.

The book is written in calligraphic text and contains many illuminations all from his hand: 53 are full images, 71 contain both text and artwork and 81 are pure calligraphic text. He began work on it in 1914 until about 1930, during a difficult period of “creative illness” or as he called it: “confrontation with the unconscious”. It contains some of his most personal material and it is during these sixteen years while working on the book that Jung developed his theories of archetypes, collective unconscious, and individuation. It gives us a glimpse into Jung’s unconscious and also shows us what an accomplished artist he really was.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – C. G. Jung

“Who looks outside, dreams; Who looks inside, awakens.”                         – C. G. Jung

For more information:

Sonu Shamdasani Introduces The Red Book

The Red Book and Beyond

Here is a free full color copy of  The Red Book, with complete English translation