Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence [Hardcover]

Robin Karr-Morse (Author), Meredith S. Wiley (Author), T. Berry Brazelton (Introduction)

Book Description

As groundbreaking as Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring, Ghosts from the Nursery" presents startling evidence on how abuse and neglect during the first two years of life is creating a tide of violent youth National media tour.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Hardly a week goes by without a headline screaming out the details of another heinous crime committed by an adolescent or young child. A 14-year-old massacres his classmates at a school prayer circle, two even younger boys fire into a crowd of middle school children killing five people, a student kills his teacher at the school prom. There is no doubt that crimes committed by children are increasing at an alarming rate and the big question is why? The authors of Ghosts from the Nursery produce compelling if not controversial evidence that violent behavior is learned and cultivated in the first few months of childhood development. Even more startling, the authors Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley believe that a predisposition to violent behavior can be learned before birth. A "chemical wash" of toxins such as drugs and alcohol, combined with a mother's stress hormones generated from rage or fear can directly effect the babies brain development. Illustrative case studies and anecdotes make for a fascinating and factually "fat" read. Lacking in the book is an acknowledgment of the larger picture--not all children raised in violent homes will become violent, and on an even larger scale, there is no mention of other contributing factors leading to teen violence. Would crimes be cut if guns weren't so readily available? Still, Ghosts from the Nursery is an engrossing book, which is bound to generate hot debate in the scientific world. --Naomi Gesinger

Review

"Evidence is building, as Ghosts from the Nursery demonstrates, that if we fail to love and nurture our children . . . we are not only condemning our children to a bleak future but we are destroying the fabric of our society. This is an eye-opening book."-Marian Wright Edelman, President, The Children's Defense Fund

"Karr-Morse and Wiley boldly raise some tough issues. . . . [They] start with a grim question-why are children violent?-and they forge a passionate and cogent argument for focusing our collective energies on infancy and parenthood to stop the cycle of ruined lives."-The Seattle Times

"Ghosts from the Nursery is ominous and persuasive. . . . [Karr-Morse and Wiley] join a growing chorus of childhood development experts in insisting that, to be effective, programs seeking to insure the welfare of children must intervene even before birth. . . .The unspoken message of Ghosts from the Nursery is more sobering still. It seems we have strayed so far from common sense and sensitivity in child rearing that we must rely on brain scans and F.B.I. statistics to remind us of what babies have always needed to thrive: attention, nourishment, stability and love." -New York Times Book Review

"An expert, disturbing and vitally important book . . . . If the problem of violence in America concerns you, read this book. You will be given no quick fixes. You are given truth. And it's truth all of us need to know."-Statesman Journal

"An alarming book with national scope. . . . [It's] methodical approach tying childhood development to recent research about the brain pushes us one step further down the road to dealing two intersecting and important issues: how to protect society from its growing pocket of violent citizens and how to protect children from the abuse and neglect that lead to membership in that terrible club."-The Portland Oregonian

"This book will make you realize as never before the importance of the 0-3-year period in eve...

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press; 1 edition (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871137038
• ISBN-13: 978-0871137036
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #612,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for anyone interested in children., January 4, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence (Hardcover)

This book has gotten excellent and well-deserved advance praise from a variety of sources. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in children, children's issues, social policy, or even just looking for some fascinating information on the development of the human brain (and all that that implies). It is clear, just from news accounts, that younger and younger children are committing crimes that are more and more violent. This book is an explanation for this rising tide of violence by youth using the latest early brain development research, case studies, etc. This book asks us to look at the (largely ignored in practice and policy) 0-3 age group as a source of changing this tide of violence. Abuse, neglect, head injury, chemicals, etc. all have lasting effects on the developing child & child's brain. "Ghosts From The Nursery" shows us that we really need look not much further than early childhood to explain and alter this expanding youth violence, anger and crime. There are chapters on brain development and substances that are well-written and easy for the layman to understand. There is an excellent chapter on the important role that fathers play in their children's development, and there are some excellent resources. With all of the discussion of the importance of the 0-3 age group that is currently cropping up, this is the best and most comprehensive book for the exact importance of that age group.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book, with well-researched hypothesis, January 17, 2005

By 

KristiMetz "Seeking the Answers" (Wichita, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence (Paperback)

The author's general hypothesis for this book is the importance of the first two years of life (including in utero) to child development, and how when a combination of factors are combined, it is easy to predict that a child will turn to violence.

A fascinating book that is well-researched. I was able to understand the importance that the first two years of life have for a child, and how a baby deprived of love and the essentials for emotional and physical growth can be affected for the rest of their life by this time.

If you're a parent and you're interested by this book, also check out "Our Babies, Ourselves".

If you're looking for a book on how your child, raised in a happy and functional home, can avoid violence, this is probably not it. But if you read in the papers about children who carry guns to school and wonder why it happens, you're barking up the right alley. :)

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Monumental Book, September 14, 2001

By 

LEON L CZIKOWSKY (Harrisburg, Pa USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence (Paperback)

If there is one book that could potentially change the direction of public policy regarding children's issues, this could be it. The authors delve into recent research into brain development. They presents their findings in a clear, understandable form. This research is then associated with what this means to our society. A case study, regarding a 16 year old boy who murdered an 84 year old man, weaves its way through the book so readers can relate the data to a real person.
This book examines how recent studies using PET and MRI scans and other methods allow us to better understand the human brain. Most of the crucial brain development occurs before a child reaches three years old. During those years, the human brain is programmed to adapt to its environment. Frontal lobe activity can be stimulated by parental involvement. A lack of this activity can lead to lifelong depressed behavior. What a baby is exposed to, or not exposed to, determines how the brain forms and how the brain is apt to operate for the rest of life.
A child who does not find empathy by the age of three is likely to have difficulty showing empathy towards others. A person without consideration for others has a much greater tendency to drift towards anti-social behavior such as violent crime. A baby growing up in a withdrawn or hostile environment may begin life at a signficant disadvantage.
The policy debate this creates is enormous. "Liberals" may call for taking steps to see that babies' brains are properly stimulated during the critical formulative years. Outreach programs to pregnant women and families with babies should provide information on good parenting techniques. There should be high quality child care with programs that stimulate babies' brain developments. Early education opportunities should reach the pre-school age. "Conservatives" may call for getting families to focus more of their energies on their children.
This is a fascinating book. Anyone interested in children should learn much from this book.