From Library Journal
Covitz, clinical psychologist and Jungian analyst, has put together a loose collection of anecdotes set up around the theme that one generation's mistakes as parents lead to the next generation's making similar mistakesthus the "family curse," be it in the areas of money, sex, abandonment, or smothering. He provides interesting categorizations of parenting styles, allowing readers to recognize their own family members and perhaps their own shortcomings. Intended for the general reader, the book may spark conversation, but it is rather humorless and unforgiving of human frailty. It is not an upbeat parenting guide. For larger libraries only. Allayne C. Heyduk, Riverside School Lib., Oneonta, N.Y.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Emotional ChildAbuse, written from the perspective of a Jungian analyst, seems to begin where Alice Miller's Prisoners of Childhood, a popular recent work, leaves off. Thus, it further explores the "course" of narcissism and how parents afflicted with such personality disorders will exploit and pass on their problems to their offspring. And yet, it lacks the poetic and insightful quality of Miller's book as well as her powerful ability to echo the experience Of children who have felt victimized by their parents. Instead, this book has a simplistic, preachy tone, essentially ignoring all the recent evidence of the infant's inborn capacities in interaction with the parents, attributing everything to parental influence. Thus, the parents seem to be to blame for the ills of their children ranging from early maladjustments to adult addictions and career failure. Essentially, the book's message can be reduced to the notion that children who are ignored or exploited by their parents will be troubled and resentful. This is hardly news to even the most naive of practitioners of the average lay public. Books containing advice for parents are of general interest, but this one is not highly recommended either for public or professional collections. -- From Independent Publisher
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
