This Week In Cigar History: May 5-9

Remembered for his curt response that dismissed the significance of his stogie ways - “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar” - Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was born this week on May 6, 1856.

Famous for his study of the unconscious mind, Freud’s popularization of concepts such as the “talking cure,” the Oedipus complex, defense mechanisms and the adage "Freudian slips" have sparked a host of industries devoted to his theories.

Appropriately, Freud began smoking at 24 years old, inspired by his father’s passion for cigars. Reportedly, the devoted puffer fired up 20 cigars a day, preferably Don Pedros ... and viewed his smoke-filled rituals as rich, rewarding experiences. Occasional periods of abstinence were predictably short-lived as Freud wrote to a colleague:

“Since the first few cigars, I was able to work and was the master of my mood; before that life was unbearable.”

news@doubledownmedia.com

5/5/08

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