I don't think I've read a book for which I was so willing to stop and read referenced works in between sections and keep coming back. During one hiatus I read all of Anti-Oedipus, which I'll have to write a separate review of.

This book deepened my appreciation for the bredth of psychoanalysis and clarified for me most than any other the link between the formation of subjects under capitalism and their willingness to reproduce it even against their best interests. I felt personally challenged in my resistance to closeness with others. There are few non-fiction books that have affected me so deeply.

I have certain methodological quibbles with Theweleit of course. Much of the book talks a highly subjective read of the works in question, and I remained hyper aware of that even as I agreed strongly with his analysis. Certain cited works (the one on Aquatic Ape Theory and some of the books on the history of European manners) are now considered discredited. At times I felt he did not have an explanation for how psychological mechanisms that no doubt benefitted class society actually emerged (I don't believe in cackling cabals planning new psychological regimes). Despite this, to me, it is clear there is a "there" there in Male Fantasies, and it will continue to color my thinking for a long time.