Forgiveness and Child Abuse: Would YOU Forgive? [Hardcover]

Lois Einhorn Ph.d. (Author), Arun Gandhi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2010

Lois Einhorn deals with one of the most despicable aspects of crime that plagues modern society. -Arun GandhiDuring her healing process, Dr. Einhorn shared her horrific story of ritualistic child abuse with a variety of influential people and asked, "What would YOU do? Do you forgive your parents? HOW do you forgive yourself?"Fifty-three people responded, including: Mumia Abu-Jamal, Patch Adams, M.D., Edward Asner, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Laura Davis, Thomas F. Eagleton, Albert Ellis, Paul Ferrini, Lynne Finney, Arun Gandhi, Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, Linda Hogan, Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Bill T. Jones, Mary Elizabeth King,, Robert Muller, Daniel Quinn, Robert C. Scaer, M.D., Pete Seeger, Bernie Siegel, M.D., Gerry Spence, Richard E. Vatz, Kurt Waldheim, Everett L. Worthington, Jr., This is a unique and powerful book destined to encourage discussion, dialogue, and debate; and many of the responses will challenge readers to move from a paradigm of revenge and fear to one of love and forgiveness - regardless of the severity of the atrocities.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Einhorn is Professor of Communication at the State University of New York. Highly accomplished, she is the author of four previous books. She was given the 2004 Heroine of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Peace award by the World Forgiveness Alliance in response to writing this book. Prior recipients include Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Desmond Tutu.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 214 pages
• Publisher: Robert Reed Publishers (January 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931741697
• ISBN-13: 978-1931741699
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #671,798 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One-of-a-kind, March 19, 2006

By 

Tamarack Song (Three Lakes, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Forgiveness and Child Abuse: Would YOU Forgive? (Hardcover)

Being both a victim of child abuse and a counselor, I anxiously awaited the appearance of this book. Not because I thought it would give me answers, but because I wanted a single reference that posed all of the hard questions needing to be addressed in order for an abuse victim to find peace. Few clients have the time or patience to read a stack of books, and there are some who struggle to remain focused on the topic. 53 diverse voices of wizened guidance, covering the entire spectrum of experience and perspective -- this book needs to be standard equipment in every home, school, and institution where child abuse is addressed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forgiveness, Wholeness, and Beyond, June 23, 2006

By 

Richard R. Blake (Bridgman, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Forgiveness and Child Abuse: Would YOU Forgive? (Hardcover)

This is a book about forgiveness and abuse. It is a story for and about the victims of child abuse. It is a story that asks the question: "You are a child in a family that sadistically abuses. You are forced to torture and destroy. What should you do now as an adult? Do you forgive your parents? HOW do you forgive yourself? This question calls for a thoughtful introspection by the reader to formulate an answer or response.

Fifty-three well know personalities responded to this question. The group includes therapists, spiritual advisors, activists, children's advocates, song writers, and other leaders in the field of forgiveness and abuse. The responses of these experts make up the body of the book. Their responses provided healing for the victims of these unspeakable acts and horrendous atrocities: physical, sexual, and verbal. The answers are profound and reveal beautiful insights in personal forgiveness and the resulting freedom this can produce in the victim.

Many of the respondents share their own personal stories of abuse. Award winning writer, Derrick Jensen, observed "We become a family of amnesiacs. There's no place in the mind to sufficiently contain theses experiences." These are stories of heroic battles, of overcoming; fear, anger, bitterness, and survival.

I found the book poignant, haunting, gripping and powerful, a book that calls for action. Dr. Einhorn wrote this book as a tribute to the power of love, and as a testimony that even severe pain can be transformed into a gift of love.

Dr. Einhorn was honored by the World Forgiveness Alliance as Heroine of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Peace. She is well qualified to author this work. This book is a must read for child advocates, therapists, spiritual counselors, and for the victims of abuse. It is also a book for school administrators, teachers, preschool specialists, church and community leaders, and for policy formulators in government office.

Powerful, profound reading.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An intimate and searchingly memorable collection of many touching and informative stories, April 2, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Forgiveness and Child Abuse: Would YOU Forgive? (Hardcover)

Impressively compiled and deftly edited by Lois Einhorn (Professor Of Communication), Forgiveness And Child Abuse: Would You Forgive? is an intimate and searchingly memorable collection of many touching and informative stories from the lives of many abused peoples wishing to let known their perspective of the abuse they once encountered and their accounts of forgiveness. Covering more then just the subject of child abuse, Forgiveness And Child Abuse enlightens the reader of why one might forgive another for their inflicted pains, as well as what might more suitably be sought as an understandable pursuit for each individual. Forgiveness And Child Abuse is very strongly recommended to all readers with a desire to understand the many various perspectives toward how we should relate to perpetrators of injury, abuse, crime, and even death.