Is our era characterized by an excess of self-centeredness? Are we living in a culture shaped by narcissism? Hans-Peter Hartmann sheds light on the phenomenon of narcissism in all its facets, ranging from healthy self-esteem regulation to personality accentuations and narcissistic personality disorders. Healthy narcissism is contrasted with pathological narcissism, and archaic narcissism is juxtaposed with mature narcissism. It becomes particularly clear how the understanding of narcissism influences the therapeutic approach to narcissistic patients.