Haven in a Heartless World [Paperback]

Christopher Lasch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 1995

In the American political vocabulary, "family" and "family values" no longer simply evoke pictures of harmonious scenes; they also push our buttons (left and right) about what is wrong with society.

One of the earliest and sharpest cultural commentators to investigate the twentieth-century American family, Christopher Lasch argues in this book that as social science "experts" intrude more and more into our lives, the family's vital role as the moral and social cornerstone of society disintegrates—and, left unchecked, so does our political and personal freedom.

Mr. Lasch combines an analytic overview of the psychological and sociological literature on the American family with his own trenchant analysis of where the problem lies. 

Editorial Reviews

Review

There is no more brilliant exposure of the collective self-deceptions of a 'therapeutic' society in quest of psychic security. . . . [Lasch's] indispensable contribution is the argument that public concern for the plight of the family has commonly masked efforts to subject the family to new forms of outside influence. (David Brion Davis - New York Review of Books )

A brilliant little book. . . . As an analyst of social science literature on the family, Lasch is superb. On balance, his book is the best essay available today on the modern history of the family. (David Hackett Fischer - New Republic )

A fascinating, alarming, profound study. . . . [A book] to ponder for years to come. (Chronicle of Higher Education )

About the Author

Christopher Lasch (1932–1994) was also the author of The True and Only Heaven, The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy, and other books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (May 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393313034
• ISBN-13: 978-0393313031
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling social commentary, September 29, 2000

By 

magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Haven in a Heartless World (Paperback)

Compelling social commentary, and brilliantly written, perhaps not surprising since Lasch was not a social scientist, but rather a professor of English Literature, at Columbia if I recall right, but in any case, at one of the Ivy League colleges. Lasch became interested in social trends, and ended up writing this fine book on the decline and destruction of the family in American life. Although the book is 20 years old at this point, Lasch's ideas are if anything more relevant now than they were back in the 70's.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A familys' responsiblity for the shaping of society., June 20, 2000

By 

Robert T. Dubach - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Haven in a Heartless World (Paperback)

When people wonder why people turn in to who they are and form the society in wth which we live this book will help clarify things for them. If one wants a deep look at society's ills and its being formed by families, Christopher Lasch presents a very good insight, that for reasons of accuracy may not make everyone happy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Prelude to The Culture of Narcissism, July 27, 2011

By 

Richard B. Schwartz (Columbia, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Haven in a Heartless World (Paperback)

In The Culture of Narcissism, Christopher Lasch mentions the importance of Haven in a Heartless World as a prelude document. Among other things, Lasch attributes the culture of narcissism to an attempt by various social agencies, academics, health professionals and bureaucrats to create space for themselves by proposing ways of solving problems that are ultimately unsolvable. We begin our lives with a sense of loss, the world being a colder and more difficult place than the warmth and freedom from responsibility afforded by the womb. Enter the professional nurturers who will build careers for themselves by promising to remedy that sense of loss through their various ministrations (which, once applied, prove to be more problematic than the ills they have purported to cure).

Haven in a Heartless World looks at the displacement of family responsibility by such individuals. Beginning in the nineteenth century, Lasch works his way forward principally through the study of sociological literature, most of which he finds radically wanting. While I agree with Lasch's critics that he spends less time articulating his own advice and principles than one might wish, his command of the literature at his disposal is very, very impressive. Haven in a Heartless World does not utilize the broad cultural materials of The Culture of Narcissism but it is an important step on the way to Lasch's major book.

While not inaccessible to general readers, Haven in a Heartless World will be of particular interest to sociologists and other social scientists. It remains relevant today, even though it appeared over three decades ago.