Book Description

Diana Wells's intriguing exploration into the rewards of relationships--both the canine and human varieties--begins when she reluctantly starts seeing a psychologist, Beth, during a difficult time in her life. With no insurance to pay for counseling, a barter is arranged in which the client becomes part-time caretaker to the therapist's dog, Luggs, a sweet, clumsy black Labrador retriever.

As Wells examines her past--her peripatetic childhood, her eccentric family, her grief over the deaths of loved ones--Luggs provides a bridge between therapist and patient. Dog lover by nature, historian by trade, Wells finds herself curious about the connections that dogs and humans have shared for centuries--and what these bonds tell us about our own psyches.

Wells observes that training a dog has much in common with the therapeutic techniques her psychologist employs. Looking into recent experiments that have proved dogs better at interpreting human behavior than chimps or wolves, Wells explores the subtleties of her own relationship with dogs. Increasingly she finds herself agreeing with Diogenes, the original Greek cynic (the word cynic comes from the greek kuon, meaning "dog"), who said that unless we think like dogs, happiness will elude us.

Wells analyzes what we name our dogs, how we breed them, how we've explored the wilderness with them, the kinds of literature we write about them, why we love them, and, most important, what we can learn from them.

When an unexpected illness befalls Beth, Luggs comforts the two women, and his devotion helps Wells come to accept that relationships--despite the possibility of hurt and pain--are what life is all about. ... Read more

Book Description

Years after his death, Jacques Lacan remains not only one of the foremost intellectuals of the century, but also one of the most controversial. The first major biography of Lacan, this is a fascinating portrait of the man's life and an illuminating explication of his complex liasons and unorthodox, often perplexing ideas. ... Read more

Book Description

His name may not be as well known as that of his colleague and spiritual descendent, Marshall McLuhan, but Harold Innis's (1894-1952) influence on contemporary critical media and communication studies has been no less profound. This concise look at Innis' ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Contrasting The Zanzibar Chest with The Scent of Eucalyptus
If you were born in Africa of foreign parents or spent most of your childhood years in Africa, you owe it to yourself to read these two books. Whether your experiences were positive and you have returned to Africa as an adult, or whether you need catharsis from emotional wounds Africa is so adept at administering, these authors will provide contrasting mirrors in which to search for your reflection.

The Zanzibar Chest describes a Reuters war correspondent's life-experiences (mostly Africa), including the meandering description of a colonial officer's death, as described in a diary left to Hartley in his deceased father's carved Zanzibar chest. The Scent of Eucalyptus uses the foreign gum tree, widely planted in Africa, to symbolize a missionary child's nostalgic return, as an adult, to Ethiopia; the last part of the book is spent attempting to debunk the widespread academic view that missionaries were inept, short-sighted religious fanatics that spread cultural disarray in Africa and like places. Both books have much insight to offer those who would understand the world-views of Europeans raised in an African setting and who then spend a lifetime striving to amalgamate the various cultures that make up their characters.

Given the first person singular that dominates these non-fiction efforts, a certain amount of narcissism is to be expected. Both books suffer from a lack of focus, since neither have a readily discernable central plot. They jump between present and past, between what the authors perceive is their African story and the story of others around them. Anyone who has suffered culture shock or it's lifelong after-tremors can relate to this sense of what I call "socio-cultural netherness". The experiences these authors relate explore the trauma of self-imposed (in Hartley's case) or childhood (Coleman) African experiences that flash back uninvited for all of us Africans of foreign blood, long after they are relegated to suppressed memory. Sitting at my desk I can relive a decades-old Angolan war scene in crimson detail yet forget what was said at my last annual job evaluation. This lack of plot in both books, therefore, is understandable to me personally but makes categorization of these books difficult.

Having read these two books at the same time, I was struck by the contrast in world views from authors with fairly similar childhood backgrounds. Both were born and raised in Africa, fluently spoke, at one time, at least one African language, while growing up in strongly colonial (or neo-colonial) family settings. The privileged backgrounds of private schools and relative wealth contrast with the stress of social and emotional disconnect with everyone (including non-African raised parents) except those similarly lost.

Both authors portray, in unusually gentle terms, their parents' failure to change Africa. Coleman's missionary family's calling to evangelize Ethiopia's ancient Christianity is portrayed as sincere by an author who himself appears to have rejected their brand of theism. He even goes to great lengths to deflect the cultural imperialism his academic colleagues in Canada attribute to the entire missionary effort of the past few centuries.

Hartley, by contrast, minces no words describing his parents' failure to protect Africa from itself, first as British colonial servants and then as post-colonial development workers in the service of "do-gooder" foreign organizations. But, for a war correspondent, his writing is almost sympathetic as he describes his father's failure as agriculturalist, husband and parent, contrasting these with physical and social sacrifices in remote regions that eventually lead the elder Hartley to "go native" by starting an ultimately failed parallel African family. Both the newly arrived Canadian missionaries and the long-established British expatriates are well-intentioned Europeans who, if they change Africa, do so in completely unintended ways. Africa, it is clear, changes those who come to change it.

There the similarities end, however. Although Hartley is no saint, unapologetically describing his debaucheries while constantly living on the edge in Africa's hellholes, he appears more attuned to his own immortality than Coleman. During several occasions in which Hartley assumed his life was prematurely ended by violence, accident or disease, he finds comfort in the spiritual realm. He also searches for humanity buried in the inhumanity surrounding a war correspondent. Coleman, living the quiet, sheltered life common to most Westerners of the northern hemisphere, hints at agnosticism that does not require religion to get him through the drudgery of a predictable day-to-day.

Coleman describes his surprisingly detailed African experience through the rose-tint of a returning, long-absent son. His rejection of an absorbed (if not genetic) Africaness, as implied by never having returned to live there as an adult, leads him to choose the sedentary, colorless life of a Canadian academic. No surprise, then, that he describes his childhood experiences and defends his missionary roots with seemingly little understanding of the broader impact his culture, his nation, and his family have had (intentionally or not) on Africa. Yet one can tell from his ramblings, inspired by a short visit to his childhood haunts, that Africa has never quite left him.

In violent contrast, Hartley over-loads his writing with realism that describes, in mind-numbing detail, the atrocities Africans commit on each other as the world feigns disinterest while simultaneously devouring Hartley's gristly Reuters reports. Ethiopian, Rwandan, or Mozambican post-colonial traumas spill out in maggot-infested, visceral stench. If your African experience ended twenty years ago with picturesque village scenes and verdant boarding school rugby pitches, Coleman will help you catch up on what you have missed in the mean time. It may even temporarily cure your chronic nostalgia.

These two books are worth the read, if for different reasons. Coleman's quiet childhood memories of an Africa that, even then, was crumbling, remind us of what we often forget from our own childhood. Hartley slams us back to earth, reminding us that Africa is far from the simplistic, idyllic land of our youth. Both versions are correct, both versions worth reliving. ... Read more

Book Description

A landmark book in the studies of Freud, H.D., modernism, gender, and sexuality. The poet H.D. (1886-1961) was in psychoanalysis with Sigmund Freud in Vienna during the spring of 1933 and again in the fall of 1934. She visited him daily at his study at 19 Berggasse, while outside Nazi thugs and militia bullied their way through the streets. Freud was old, and fragile. H.D. was forty-six and despairing of her writing life, which seemed to have reached a dead end, for all her success. Her sessions with Freud proved to be the point of transition, the funnel into which were poured her memories of the past and associations in the present—and from which she emerged reborn. H.D. came to Freud at the urging of her companion, the novelist Bryher (1884-1983), the daughter of a wealthy British shipping magnate. Freud welcomed H.D. as a creative spirit whose work he respected, but he did ask her not to prepare for their sessions, write about them in her journal, or talk about them with her friends, especially Bryher, who remained home in England. H.D.'s letters from Vienna filled the gap. Breezy, informal, irreverent, vibrant with detail, they revolve around her hours with Freud, making her correspondence unique in the spectrum of reminiscences, journals, memoirs, and biographies swirling around the legacy of the "Professor" and the movement he founded. The volume includes H.D. and Bryher's letters, as well as letters by Freud to H.D. and Bryher, most of them published for the first time. In addition, the book includes H.D. and Bryher's letters to and from Havelock Ellis, Kenneth MacPherson, Robert McAlmon, Ezra Pound, and Anna Freud, among others. Fully annotated with Index and Photographs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Seminal addition to History Of Psychology reference shelves
Deftly compiled and edited by Susan Stanford Friedman (Virginia Woolf Professor of English and Women's Studies and Chair of the English Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison), Analyzing Freud: Letters of H. D., Bryher, And their Circle is a fascinating, informative primary source providing invaluable insights into the life and work of the famous father of modern psychoanalysis -- Sigmund Freud. The poet H. D. was one of Freud's patients in 1933 and 1934; her letters to her novelist companion Bryher (which often revolve around the hours she spent with Freud), offer a unique glimpse into the inception of psychoanalysis, the modern-day science of the mind. Analyzing Freud is a very highly recommended, essential, seminal addition to History Of Psychology reference shelves and supplemental reading lists. ... Read more

Book Description

AWolf in the Attic is a powerful memoir written by a psychoanalyst who was a hidden child in Poland during World War II. Her story, in addition to its immediate impact, illustrates her struggle to come to terms with the powerful yet sometimes subtle impact of childhood trauma. A Wolf in the Attic follows the author’s life as she gradually becomes able to reclaim her past, to understand its impact on her life and the choices she has made, and finally, to heal a part of herself that she had been so long taught to deny. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Different and Vital Perspective
I thought the book was excellent! I have read dozens of books about the Holocaust and this document certainly offers a different and vital perspective that has not previously been covered in the literature. As you progress through the book, it is quite clear that the after-effects for Holocaust survivors are persistent and nagging, and greatly affect them for the rest of their lives. Sophia Richman's experience demonstrates that tragic events that surround young children can stalk in their minds like "A Wolf in the Attic".

A Unique Perspective on the Holocaust
"A Wolf in the Attic", a memoir by Dr. Sophia Richman adds a valuable perspective to the literature of the Holocaust. Dr. Richman was a hidden child in Poland who survived to tell her story of what it meant to transcend such an ordeal and then go on to try to strive for and fit in with normal life. This work is a unique exposition of a journey to overcome a traumatic past and to engage fully in life under renewed circumstances yet with the past just under the surface. The process of coming to terms with this dicotomy is at the heart of the work and is very moving. Dr. Richman has created a compelling narrative which reveals the two faceted experience of a life of achievement and momentum amidst unconscious symbols of tragedy. The fact that the author was successful in so many ways in overcoming her trauma is an inspiration. Her story is a special one amongst Holocaust memoirs. Dr. Richman's work is highly recommended for its humanity, complexity and poignancy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A companero to us all
Frederick John Dalton is to be congratulated for this beautifully written and spiritually inspiring study of the moral vision that underlay Cesar Chavez's activism. Following in the tradition of Jesus, Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement, and the Berrigan brothers, Chavez's orientation was biblical to the core. He preached and practiced nonviolent resistance, personal and group sacrifice, the transformative power of love and forgiveness, and individual prayer and meditation as essential tools in working for peace and justice. Unlike so many activists then and now, Chavez wasn't concerned with protesting and demonstrating just to say "No." More fundamentally, he was interested in working for social and economic conditions that would affirm people with a resounding "Yes!" Chavez's deep faith in God and the Gospel of justice and peace grounded that "Yes" and made it truly prophetic. As he himself said, "What keeps me going? Well, it's like a fire--a consuming, nagging everyday and every-moment demand of my soul to just do it. It's difficult to explain. I like to think it's the good Spirit asking me to do it. I hope so...If you really want something, you have to sacrifice. Because of my faith the concept of sacrifice is understood" (p. 162).

This is a must-read for anyone who yearns to integrate a passion for social justice with a deep, mystical faith in God. Cesar showed us, as all genuine mystics do, that the two are not only incompatible but necessarily conjoined. Dalton's sensitive and well-written study has done Chavez proud. ... Read more

Book Description

Thorstein Veblen (1857_1929), best known for The Theory of the Leisure Class, was a baffling figure in American intellectual history, and this -important work, undertaken by Louis Patsouras, attempts both to unravel the riddles that surround his subject_s reputation and to assess his varied and -important contributions.

Considering Veblen not just as an economist or a sociologist_as has been the case up to now_Patsouras examines Veblen_s politics, in particular the early manifestations of American socialism and anarchism, as well as his support of labor unions. Veblen_s views are then compared and contrasted with other well-known his-torical and contemporary thinkers.

Louis Patsouras is professor of history at Kent State University and author of The Anarchism of Jean Grave (Black Rose Books).

Reviews (3)

Shedding light on an Oakland girlhood
As a city of Oakland resident, interested in 19th century life there, I was very happy to come across this book and read Mrs Gilbreth's childhood memories, visiting Lake Merritt, spending time with cousins, visiting her well to do grandfather at his grand estate (he is known as Oakland's first millionaire). I intend to share it with others I know who share an interest in Oakland's early history.

Excellent for Gilbreth researchers; not for entertainment
While I agree with Ms. Collins' assessment of this book, and realize it is Mrs. Gilbreth's unedited writings, I found the book to be only a rather dry collection of memories. I guess I hoped to find another "Cheaper by the Dozen" or "Belles on Their Toes" for entertainment, which is a rather unfair expectation. Mrs. Gilbreth does not write to entertain. Her writing style is completely unadorned by either humor or color; she states facts alone (Frank and Ernestine must have inherited their father's humor).
What did irritate me is her attitude toward her daughter, Mary. Perhaps not well-known, this attitude was mentioned in "Time Out For Happiness." The Gilbreths buried their understandably overwhelming grief for Mary and never spoke of her again. This book confirms that fact. Nowhere is Mary mentioned after her death. Mrs. Gilbreth spoke of Mary as part of her husband's 'project' and not a living, breathing child, whose brief life should have been celebrated, not mourned. She says the services of a psychiatrist would have 'adjusted' the situation, 'but it was not adjusted, and it left a permanent scar.' As much money as they apparently had, why they did not seek psychiatric help in the aftermath is beyond me. I was overjoyed to see a picture of Mary; in fact, the pictures throughout the book are fascinating. Mrs. Gilbreth was a wonderful woman, who contributed greatly to humanity, and should be so honored. But she wasn't a writer.

An insightful reminisence
After reading "Cheaper by the Dozen", "Belles on their Toes", and "I'm a Lucky Guy", this book filled in the essential details for throughly understaning the Gilbreth lifestyle. The aforementioned children's books provoked my interest, leading me to seek further information on this remarkable family. This book, aimed at the adult level, depicts in acute detail Dr. Lillian Gilbreth's family history, childhood, education, and motion study work. Exciting recolletions of work and travel fill this volume, which is entrancing form cover to cover. The style in which this book was written provokes thoughts of listening to a warm elderly woman, carefully sharing how a shy child became a "pioneer" in women's work, and a marvel in her day. There are numerous typographical and grammatical errors in the text, which are pardonable if the reader considers that these are the actual written words of Dr. Lillian Gilbreth, apparently unedited. The only other disappointment is that this manuscript was unpublished for so many decades that it has not been updated. It does not elaborate on her lasting contributions to industrial engineering today, nor does it reveal which of her children are still surviving. However, there are many useful addresses and contacts mentioned that would provide some update on the issues of industrial engineering. I would recommed this book to anyone interested in the life and work of Lillian Gilbreth or her field, as she should be an inspirational role model for all young women. ... Read more

Book Description

In the mid 1980s, Bob Roberts was a successful dentist, stunt flyer and racecar driver. While undergoing marital counseling he was fascinated by the psychological process and pursued his own doctorate in psychology.

Intrigued by the community-building work of M. Scott Peck, Roberts' doctorate research consisted of applying and testing Peck's community-building model in an environment where it seemed only a distant possibility-the prison system. It was there, in Louisiana's Dixon Correctional Institution, where Roberts' life was forever transformed, as would the lives of hundreds of inmates and former offenders. What started as a literacy program evolved into sessions of shared soul searching, group therapy and a celebration of the prisoners' roots.

Although prison officials sabotaged his project, Roberts went on to found Project Return, the most successful aftercare program for former offenders in the country. Aimed at breaking the cycles of addiction, crime and violence, Project Return is the only prisoner rehabilitation program in the country funded by the U.S. Department of Justice.

This memoir is Roberts' adventure into his heart and his conscience. It explores the darkest terrain of violence and human suffering, and the brightest terrain of redemption, human dignity and hope. It will leave readers deeply inspired, encouraged and impassioned-in awe of the human capacity to survive and recover from cruelty and hardship.

Reviews (10)

An inspiring journey for all to take
A moving account of one man's search for a path to truth, a path by the following of which society as a whole can benefit. While this book is subtitled: An Unlikely Journey Behind the Walls of Justice, it is so much wider in its applicability than to the insitutions wherein it was born. In his exploration of 'community building', Mr. Roberts has written a remarkable prescription for society as a whole to adopt and apply to heal the profound wounds caused by the segregation of its members into disparate islands of fear, hurt, and hate. As for the application of this process to both the incarcerated and returned prison population itself, truly remarkable results have resulted from so doing. Mr. Roberts has addressed a core concern: "Without proper support, however, transformation is a long hard road. Because most of (the incarerated) are unprepared, most of them fail [become recidivists upon being paroled or pardoned]." Robert's combination of community building and techniques developed from his insights into the human social condition garnered while studying prisoners directly should be seriously examined by all states concernd with reformation of those who offend its rules. The results from so doing offer a path to real freedom, the transformation of a person rather than the brutalizing perpetuation of antisocial behavior consequent from incarceration as it is currently administered. Finally, this is a remarkable and inspiring read.

sobering, inspiring, needed
I met Bob Roberts at a conference he hosted a few years ago. This book is as compelling and fierce as I expected. In forsaking comfort to find his own soul, Bob also found a way to help society's outcasts -- prisoners -- discover their own dignity and humanity. These stories are the real thing: messy, poignant, energizing. So few people do this work; so many should know that it can, and is, successfully being done. Help yourself to hope by reading this book.

To become a classic . . . .
It's one of those books you will NOT be able to put down once you start. It's one of those books that will make you cry with sorrow AND cry with joy. It's one of those books that will inspire you to pursue your calling. It's one of those books that will make you question your "comfort zone". It's one of those books that expose the sadness and ignorance of our nation (both behind and in-front-of the walls). It's one of those books that will "effect dramatic change toward harmony in our culture" when/if we allow ourselves to be as compassionate, brave, and committed as Dr. Bob Roberts. IT'S A MUST READ!

Who is this man?
Who is this man, Bob Roberts? He abandons one world, the plush world of a wealthy professional, and finds his spiritual path among the most forgotten and marginalized members of our society.

Unlike the prophet walking on water or the holier-than-thou guru, Roberts discovers a vital link to his own living soul through his relationship with these men. They become his most trusted friends, and in an unlikely show of solidarity they find their way toward the light.

Roberts' journey is a burr in our side, reminding us that America's shame-based and cold-hearted penal system is self-perpetuating and in dire need of rehabilitation itself.

The only way this book comes up short is on Roberts himself. Who is this incredibly dynamic and compassionate man? I want to know more!

A MUST READ: Following a Dream, Making a Contribution
MY SOUL SAID TO ME intimately engages you in the vision and mission of transforming the criminal justice system into a contributing and restorative justice power for good. Currently the system costs billions, destroys lives, and inflicts more pain than healing on everyone in United States. In his own life's journey, Bob Roberts shares "keys to open the doors" of the prison industrial complex in ways that can solidly change lives and communities in a pro-social, cost-efficient,and collaborative manner. The reader is captured by Robert's life and work and how he has impacted thousands of people to become contributing citizens. Clearly, the replication of his project could help tens of thousands of lives. It is said, "an educated consumer is our best customer." Today the American public is the consumer that needs educating. This book, if read by the masses, can shift the correctional industry into an evolutionary and restoring direction, as well as, personally impact the life of every reader. MY SOUL SAID TO ME is an inspiring journey of life, love, community, and commitment. I am recommending this book to everyone. People (offenders,staff,families) caught in the quicksand of the criminal justice system most often live in a culture without hope or "a way out." To paraphrase the book, could there be a greater vision or mission than to give hope to someone that he or she is still valued as a human being? Bob Roberts gives all of us, the hopeless and the hopeful, hope. Audre Londe's words best describe Robert's philosophy at every crossroad in his life: "When I dare to be powerful...to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid..." In Robert's story of life you will find the truth applies to all aspects of our life and to all people in our society, even those in unlikely places. I share his call for a return to community. ... Read more

Book Description

A Jew in a violently anti-Semitic world, Sigmund Freud was forced to cope with racism even in the "serious" medical literature of the fin de siècle, which described Jews as inherently pathological and sexually degenerate. In this provocative book, Sander L. Gilman argues that Freud's internalizing of these images of racial difference shaped the questions of psychoanalysis. Examining a variety of scientific writings, Gilman discusses the prevailing belief that male Jews were "feminized," as stated outright by Jung and others, and concludes that Freud dealt with his anxiety about himself as a Jew by projecting it onto other cultural "inferiors"--such as women. Gilman's fresh view of the origins of psychoanalysis challenges those who separate Freud's revolutionary theories from his Jewish identity. ... Read more

Book Description

Born in Martinique, then as now a departement of France, Frantz Fanon (l925-61) trained as a psychiatrist in Lyons before taking up a post in colonial Algeria.He had already experienced racism as a soldier in the Free French Army, for which he had volunteered and in whose ranks he saw combat during the liberation of France.In Algeria, he came into contact with the Front de Liberation National whose ruthless struggle for an independent Algeria was met with quite exceptional violence by the French Army.Fanon identified completely with the FLN and soon became a marked man.Forced to flee Algeria when he resigned his post, Fanon subsequently worked with the FLN as a propagandist and ambassador.

Based on extensive and original research, this is the most compete and objective biography of Fanon yet written.It sweeps away the myths that have grown up around him and reveals Fanon to be a complex figure, infinitely more interesting than the theorist of anti-colonial violence celebrated by the left in the 60s.Macey shows Fanon to have been a man formed in the context of the French Caribbean, with its history of slavery and racism, and traces Fanon's intellectual career as a political thinker and psychiatrist with great care, setting it against the background of post-war French culture.

David Macey has done justice for the first time to the extraordinary life of a complex figure, flawed in some respects but fundamentally a humanist committed to the eradication of colonialism, a man whose angry and eloquent writings are still of fierce relevance today.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

In Depth look at the origins of the civil rights movement
Bobby Seale gives virtually sole credit to Fanon's works as inspiration for the organization of the Black Panther Party with Huey Newton. Frantz Fanon led a brief yet complex life fighting racist communist French colonialism in his adopted homeland of Algeria. This biography is not a quick read, and is intended for people that are willing to take their time getting through this 500 page monstrosity. In order to understand the opposite views of African politics through French colonialism during the same time period, reading about Leopold Senghor is an absolute must. Bravo to anyone seriously reading these philosophies! It's uncanny how much of Fanon's principles still relate to modern politics. ... Read more

Book Description

Servant of the Lotus Feet: A Hare Krishna Odyssey is the true story of an adolescent's quest for spiritual meaning. Enchanted by the wisdom of the Orient, Sidd drops out of his freshman year of college in the early 1980's to join the Hare Krishnas while visiting Boston. During the course of four years in New England and New York City, Sidd struggles as a fund-raiser for the cult. As an initiated Brahman priest, he gains privilege and responsibility.

Book Description

Terms of Enforcement: Making Men Pay for What They've Done is the story of failed courts, mental health, and social service systems. Ordinarily such an observation is not remarkable and that in itself is unfortunate. But in the case of the author's story, these failures are deliberate. Worse, as widespread as this problem is, these failures are unreported in the press and the professional literature. How could this be?

In an effort to protect women from domestic abuse, human service professionals and judges institute policies that make them appear to be the champions of abused women everywhere. Zero tolerance/ pro-arrest policies appear to be just what we need to combat the epidemic of domestic violence. We are convinced that a rigid policy is a force for good. It sends a message, we believe. It says to abused women that we care about them.

But what happens when there is posturing behind this policy? What happens when an apparently noble policy is window dressing meant to give the illusion of caring about citizens? What happens when the appearance of caring extends to the point that courts and social service agencies become willing to sacrifice innocent men to satisfy a political agenda? What happens when judges and human service professionals lack the courage to institute standards for screening and substantiating reports of abuse? The courts become the repositories of a noble hypocrisy. One might expect judges to be troubled by this. But judges appear to be unperturbed. They feel confident their hypocrisy will be safeguarded. The tragedy isn't there. The consequences to falsely accused men are catastrophic. Their lives will be ruined. But maybe worse than that, the injustices done to them will be tolerated, even applauded.

Since the O.J. Simpson trial in 1995, we have entered into a period of nationwide anxiety about men. As a result, men have become easy targets of false accusations of abuse. Once accused, they are afforded no legal remedies to challenge the allegations made against them. In fact, women are advised by their lawyers to allege abuse for the sake of winning legal tugs of war in matters of child custody and divorce. Why? Because lawyers now realize that judges will rubber-stamp their requests for protection without question. In many states the standard for evidence has descended to the level of take-my-word-for-it. This gives their clients an obvious and extraordinary advantage.

The author is a human service professional with 30 years' experience. In the course of his divorce proceedings his wife obtains a restraining order after explaining to the judge that he might be a danger to her because he has carpentry tools in his car. Terms of Enforcement: Making Men Pay for What They've Done is the author's unescorted passage through Hell and a story for everyone to consider who cares about justice and the search for responsible ways to protect women who are at genuine risk of domestic violence. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

An indispensable sour companion
Anybody interested in Jung should read this book, but read it with a grain of salt. The author is no great admirer of Jung; was this a result of learning so much about him while writing his biography? I do not know, but I am grateful to McLynn for writing a book that has taught me so much about a man who has taught me so much.

That said, let me state that this book can by no means substitute for reading Jung. The brilliance, fire, and life of his writing is almost entirely absent from this book: a great loss.

Also absent are photographs. I would like to see what Jung and Co. looked like at various stages.

So let's put out a new version with photos!

the last page causes a sigh of relief
McLynn doesn't like Jung ideas. Not a problem, really, but then why write a book about him? So the book crawls slowly, unhappily amassing all negative gossip about Jung, leaving the reader ( as probably also it did to the writer), miserable, exhausted, untill, at last the book ends, and a sigh of relief is impossible to avoid. Was this really necessary? Was this a paid, imposed job? This is really a pathography, a subgenre of our sick postmodern times, and I hope that these kind of people never go so far as the write a new life of Christ.

Disappointing
Exhibits little, if any, understanding of the immensity of Jung's work. Try Wehr's biography instead.

Masquerade
Wanting an introductory overview to C. G. Jung and his work, and reading the editorial reviews that Mr. McLynn has presented an objective and clear account of them, I eagerly picked up this biography, but was disappointed to find it a tendentious polemic relentlessly and repetitively attacking Jung (and, by the way, I am not a "Jungian"), dwelling at unnecessary length on the Freud-Jung relationship and insufficiently on Jung's influence as an original thinker of the XXc, and most signally, failing to present any sort of precis of Jung's seminal ideas that would be helpful to the general reader. Don't bother with this one: wait for a better biography, something on the lines of Peter Gay's Freud: a Life for Our Time.

Freud, Freud, Freud.
So far, I find this book captivating like a traffic accident. Page 222 of 529, for example, consists, in it's entirety, of three paragraphs about Freud. And it's so chock-full of whiney, vague "interpretation," that McLynn has become in my mind the handlebar-moustache-twisting, bound-lady-on-the railroad villain of all biographies. What other reviews of this book have said comes to mind: McLynn's book is valuable precisely because it is OBVIOUSLY the most unfair and degrading description one could credibly sling together based on any interpretation of the facts (in fact, I would say, well beyond "credibly," except, naturally, I am not aquainted in a thoroughgoing way with every detail of Jungs's life... which it's worth noting, the author assumes I am. McLynn omits a vast array of details as if he were *deliberately* trying to make himself sound even more of the dire propogandist than he actually is.) One wonders if this book was written in an attempt to discredit the whole field of critical biography of Jung. That's my theory. Jung must be above reproach, if his foremost critics are the likes of McLynn. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Both heartbreaking and inspirational
Maria Ritter returns to Germany as an adult, and through the recollections of her early childhood, recalls the horrors and devastation brought to her homeland through the Hitler regime and the post WWII years under the communists.
With her father fighting in the German Army, her family becomes refugees from both the Russians in the east, and Allied bombs from the sky. Making numerous moves to try and ensure their safety, they go to Dresden and become victims of the firebombing in February, 1945. Dealing with the reality that her father may never return to them, her brave mother takes the initiative to escape to the west, leaving behind loved ones in the east during the post war years...and the resulting story of their escape and subsequent life is one of inspiration and encouragement. Coming to terms with much of the heartbreaking events she suffered as a young child, makes this read a heart rending and touching memorial to all the innocents who have had nothing whatsoever to do with politics and war. ... Read more

Book Description

The fascinating biography that illuminates the manwhose work changed modern culture.
* Gives a complete biographical view of Campbell's life and a personal perspective of who he was through the voices of his friends and colleagues.
* Written by two of Campbell's preeminent students with exclusive access to his notes and journals.

Joseph Campbell forged an approach to the study of myth and legend that made ancient traditions and beliefs immediate, relevant, and universal. His teachings and literary works, including The Masks of God, have shown that beneath the apparent themes of world mythology lie patterns that reveal the ways in which we all may encounter the great mysteries of existence: birth, growth, soul development, and death. Biographers Stephen and Robin Larsen, students and friends of Campbell for more than 20 years, weave a rich tapestry of stories and insights that catalogue both his personal and public triumphs. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Transparent to Transcendence
The fire in Joseph Campbell's mind burned through the dross of a mundane existence and forged a character who was ultimately "transparent to transcendence" (his own remarkable phrase).

The book is dense at times because of the Larsens' careful documentation and because Campbell's very life was so dense with accomplishment and discovery. I found the Larsens' scholarship to be impeccable and the coverage of a remarkable life thorough. Because they were friends of the Campbells, an air of authenticiy is added to their work. My only disappointment was their lack of reporting of his deeper response to his illness and impending death. I feel more information in this delicate area would have been appropriate because of the biographical nature of the work and because of Campbell's own personal spiritual belief system.

I highly recommend this volume to anyone who wishes to learn more about one of the most formidable intellectuals of the 20th century. Because the book is so well-written, entertaining, and well-documented, it will enliven the days of your reading...and well beyond!

Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind
Since Joseph Campell was such a prolific writer of journals, letters, essays and books, this book was able to capture, in such detail, not only his life events but also the evolution of his studies and thoughts about myth, art, religion and the world. I originally checked this book out at the library but I am buying it as a reference guide because it touches on so many fascinating points about religion and the most prominent spiritual leaders in the last century. ... Read more

Book Description

Roger Fouts fulfilled humankind's age-old dream of talking to animals by pioneering communication with chimpanzees through sign language. Now, in Next of Kin, Fouts tells the dramatic story of his odyssey from novice researcher to celebrity scientist and caretaker of a family of chimpanzees, to his impassioned awakening as a crusader for the rights of animals.

At the heart of this captivating audiobook is Fouts's magical thirty-year friendship with Washoe, the chimpanzee he met when she jumped into his arms. We follow Washoe as she grows from a mischievous baby chimp fresh out of the NASA space program into the matriarch of a clan of chimpanzees. Living and conversing with these sensitive creatures has given Fouts a profound appreciation of how much we share with our closest biological relatives, and what they can teach us about ourselves.

This stirring tale of friendship, courage, and compassion will change forever the way we view our biological -- and spiritual -- Next of Kin.

Reviews (47)

The closest you'll ever come to knowing another species
Roger Fouts has written an extraordinary book that combines insight with scientific fact as he relates his experiences with a special chimpanzee who changed the direction of his life. As a graduate student in experimental psychology at the University of Nevada, Fouts is given an assistantship to "teach a chimpanzee to talk" using modified American Sign Language, and thus begins his introduction to impishly clever Washoe. Washoe is in almost every sense a "person", with specific character traits, likes and dislikes, habits and methods. When she is in danger of being dumped into a medical facility at the end of the study, Fouts fights to protect her against the woefully inadequate laws and accepted scientific procedures. His battle not only for Washoe but for all captive chimpanzees becomes the focus of his career. Because Washoe and her companions have the ability to express themselves, this is at times a heartbreaking tale as Fouts and the reader discover how closely related chimps and humans truly are. Through his passionate storytelling and his breadth of knowledge, Fouts gives readers an intimate glimpse into these fascinating non-human lives.

I cannot express adequately how moving and instructive this account is. It will affect you on a deeply emotional level - I can't imagine how anyone can emerge from this story unchanged. I highly recommend this book for all readers, from teenagers to adults, from casual to serious readers.

There is hope for humanity.
One of the problems in reading a lot is that it becomes difficult to find books that provide substance, an opportunity to learn and a riveting subject. I am pleased to advise that this book does all of this and more. Roger Fouts does not claim to be a hero. In fact, he confesses to being disappointed, confused, even weak at times. All the more reason to admire his dedication to his subjects and his refusal to buckle under severe pressure. This book gives the reader an opportunity to visit with and begin to understand another species, to develop some understanding of another language, to understand the history and development of the human species along with the workings of academia and the "scientific" mind (and you thought "Freddy" was scary!). At times it is heartwarming, at others it touches on the cold, cruel, self-absorption that humans are capable of. It well demonstrates the belief that "evil is possible where empathy is absent". This book underlines our responsibility to all life on Earth to act with respect and caring towards all species. Reading about Washoe, her family and her friends will not always be easy but it will change you for the better. They teach us about our own humanity. They also provide strong reinforcement and inspiration for those who sometimes feel isolated and alone in their journey to protect the voiceless.

Astounding
This book weaves together behavioral research, child psychology, linguistics, oncology, evolution, animal rights and a simple story of two friends who each learn incredible things from the other. The story was so intriguing no matter what topic was being covered that I read all 400 pages in 3 1/2 days. At the risk of sounding melodramatic I literally laughed out loud at points, and broke down in tears at others. Next of Kin demonstrates what man can do at his best as well as his worst.

Great Book
This was the best book I've read in years. It is extremely moving, and just changed me as a person. It made me realize that animals are just like humans, with the same simple needs, food, water, shelter, and most importantly, love and respect. They shouldn't be treated as animals just because they look different.

I think this is a must read for everyone, regardless of whether or not you like animals.

Convinces a skeptical linguist
I have just finished reading Roger Fout's Next of Kin book and was very impressed. I am a linguist and am planning to talk about Animal Communication in a Psycholinguistics course I will be teaching this Fall. I had always just accepted the conclusion found in most introductory Linguistics textbooks that what chimps can do is really not very much, doesn't resemble human language, and that people like Dr. Fouts have expanded the notion of what 'language' is to somewhat unacceptable lengths. I accepted that Terrace's work with Nim Chimpsky (which you read about in the book) showed that just those researchers who were highly emotionally involved with their animals were the ones who ridiculously thought that chimpanzees could really produce creative signs. After reading this book I am convinced that chimpanzees are highly intelligent and have been able to learn to use sign language in a way that I would consider langauge. I am also convinced, though not a great animal lover, that treating chimpanzees as research subjects is just inhumane. So I would agree with everyone else that this is an extraordinary book. I highly recommend it, especially to linguists who really have little idea of what Washoe and Loulis are able to communicate in sign language. ... Read more

Book Description

As a whole, the papers emphasize the enormity and unparalleled originality of Freud's pre-analytic work, as well as its influence upon the subsequent development of psychoanalytic theory and technique. The collection offers a fascinating glimpse of the sheer range of ideas that have fed the psychoanalytic mind-set, and the links between psychoanalysis and a whole host of other disciplines. ... Read more