Customer Reviews

The Care and Feeding of Perfectionists

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The author of this book has been through a long journey toward learning to deal with her perfectionism. Her book contains her personal story, her insights into perfectionism and how to deal with it, stories of her perfectionist clients, and references to inner guidance. Of all the content in this book, I found her delineation of the nine types of perfectionism most helpful. However, the book feels more like a series of ruminations rather than a well-developed program toward recognizing and overcoming one's perfectionism. While the content is useful and insightful, it is not well-organized, which makes it difficult to read and apply. Expect to read parts of this book several times to really understand how it might apply to your life.

This book is an in depth thought provoking look at perfectionism and all its various disguises. After reading the book I have been able to change long and difficult relations with co-workers into more realistic fulfilling interactions. Being able to name the source of my unhappiness as perfectionism has given me so much freedom and empowered me to change my perspective on myself and others.....it is about learning to care for oneself with compassion rather than with the harsh yardstick that the perfectionist uses. I heartily recommend this text, it enables one to see the light and make changes immediately... and it is written in a most interesting and engaging manner....hope this author writes more books in the future.

Even if you are not a perfectionist, you need to read this book because you know someone who is and she or he needs your love and understanding.

If you think you might be a perfectionist but are not sure, you need to read this book because it will clarify and delineate just what perfectionism can do or undo.

But if you are a perfectionist, read this book twice, and then again. Curnan's easy prose style and her insight into the nature of the problem of perfectionism makes this a handy, practical guide for thousands (or at least, for you). She identifies nine different types of perfectionists; types that overlap on each other, but all have common roots in the drive for power and control (and the helplessness of lack of control in the flipside). She offers practical advice and wisdom in working through and out of perfectionism.

I don't have a general dislike for self-help books or psychiatry, but I finally understand what people mean when they talk about "psychobabble", thanks to this book. It's a substance-less paeon to the "inner self" and the author's own recovery from a terribly traumatic childhood. There's hardly anything helpful here for someone who is just plain perfectionist, and not trying to recover from much bigger demons such as physical and sexual abuse by their parents. I also don't recommend this book to anyone who believes in the concept of objective moral rights and wrongs.

With all due respect to the author, I found this to be one of the least helpful books I've read on perfectionism and related concepts. While I appreciate the author's sincerety and efforts, the work reminded me of a nice and fluffy John Gray book. In a nutshell: not much meat, not that well written, and not especially insightful. It lacked sound logic and clarity. Much of it didn't ring true to me. I don't think it deserves the high marks.

I've read a few books on perfectionism and this one explains it in a way helps me do something about it and not just think being hard on myself is the right thing to do. Thank you, Dr. Curnan for your plain talk.

Lori

This book is one of the best books i have read and I am not sure if i can tell you all the benefits I received from it. First, it helped me understand different types of people. This woman should be a Teacher and maybe she is! This book also helped me with moving forward after a JOB LOSS, something many of us have had to deal with. Third, it gives a complete review of a life long progress in a person's life. The capacity to change and improve; still knowing one still has faults, living with it, but moving ahead. It would be a SIN not to read!

I wrote "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain" which came out at about the same time as this. Ordered it just out of curiosity because the titles are so close, and loved it. Perfectionism is foisted upon us at an early age in todays society, permeates the tean years, and persists through schooling and beyond. Those who seem to go further than the perfectionists ironically are those who seem to "not care" but instead live by internally set priorities and not for the outside approval of others. Reminds me of the line in a Joe Jackson song "pretty women walking with gorillas down my street". Self confidence is so much more important than outside kudos. The book expressed this so well...May I suggest "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain" as a general companion book to leading a brain-healthy perfection-free lifestyle...All the best to Dr. Curnan...Kenneth Giuffre MD, author, "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain"