Reviews (27)

A typical US-feminist publication
This book is typical for many of its kind, just a man-hating drivel from feminists...and otherwise good for nothing.

Good book, important subject
I remember when AGAINST OUR WILL came out, and people quoted any of a half-dozen lines from it, especially 'Rape is the conscious conspiracy by which all men keep all women in subjugation.' I dismissed it as the work of a crank.
A Work That Will Live In Infamy
Some time in the future, historians will look back on the 2nd half of the 20th Century and wonder what spurred an otherwise enlightened society to lap up dreck like _Against Our Will_ as though it actually had any merit.
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Subjects:  1. Offenses against the person    2. Rape    3. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Rape    6. Sex crimes    7. United States    8. United States - Colonial Period    9. United States - General    10. United States - Revolutionary War    11. Violence in Society    12. Women's Studies - General    13. Crime & criminology    14. History / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775)    15. Social history    16. USA    17. c 1700 to c 1800    18. c 1800 to c 1900    19. coerced sex; sexual coercion; rape; forced sex; sexuality; sexual power; patriarchy; social hierarchy; rape prosecution; sexual norms; seduction; sexual access; sex and patriarchy; colonial subordination; race and rape; statutory law; sexual ideology; rape prosecution; sexual behavior   

Reviews (13)

Moving and Inspirational
This book gives women the opportunity to "speak" against the abuse that happened to them. I appreciated the way it was organized into types of abusers (fathers, family members, siblings, strangers, etc.) so that you could go to the areas that were of most interest to you. I would highly recommend this book to anyone having been through abuse as a child.

I saw myself in the pages...
This book provides insight into the inner workings of child sexual abuse and why victims don't tell. The stories range from a quick one-time exposure to unthinkable brutality. Some perpetrators were strangers; others were family members. All caused lasting emotional damage. The accounts are so honest and true that they allowed me to recognize for the first time that I had been molested, and it completely changed my life.
Compelling--and quite graphic
I don't generally like short story format, but I found this book to be better than I expected. Just be warned that some of the stories are graphic and can be disturbing, so be prepared. It must have been quite empowering for the women to tell their stories since, as children, they likely kept it a secret. Another book that comes highly recommended is Miss America By Day by Marilyn VanDerber.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abused women    3. Adult child sexual abuse victi    4. Adult child sexual abuse victims    5. Case studies    6. Child Abuse    7. General    8. Psychology    9. Psychology Of Sexuality    10. Reference    11. Sexually abused children    12. United States    13. Biography & Autobiography    14. Self-Help / General    15. Sexual abuse   

Reviews (20)

A special book just for girls!
This is a brilliant and inspiring book!! I would give it 6 stars.A big thank you to all the girls who came out with their stories about abuse, and a special thanks to Dr. Patti for her wonderful work. Her girlthrive website is also a great resource.
Social Worker's review
As an intern during graduate school, I worked with girls who had experienced sexual abuse/incest. In my attempt to read every book on the topic, I found Invisible Girls. I couldn't stop talking about it. I wanted all of my peers and colleagues to read it as well. This book is beginning to help me define my professional career path.

Superb resource for all - survivors and professionals
An excellent and invaluable resource to all who have been touched in any way by sexual abuse: this book is compassionate, insightful and healing in its portrayal and treatment of sexual abuse of children, adolescents and young women. The real-life experiences are presented in a way that is sensitive, thoughtful and wise. They will resonate with the experience of most anyone who has suffered the affliction and trauma of sexual abuse.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse of    2. Adult Child Sexual Abuse Victims    3. Children's Books/Young Adult Social Situations    4. Clinical Psychology    5. Human Services    6. Rehabilitation    7. Self-Help    8. Sexual abuse victims    9. Social Issues - Sexual Abuse    10. Social Science    11. Teenagers    12. Social Welfare Services For Special Classes    13. Sociology    14. Teenage girls    15. United States    16. Child abuse    17. Coping with personal problems    18. Sexual abuse   

Subjects:  1. Adult Child Sexual Abuse Victims    2. Adult child sexual abuse victi    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family Relationships    5. Family/Marriage    6. Mental Health    7. Mental Illness    8. Psychology    9. Psychotherapy    10. Child abuse    11. Sexual abuse   

Subjects:  1. Child abuse    2. Child sexual abuse    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Family Relationships    5. Family violence    6. Interpersonal Relations    7. Psychology    8. United States    9. Wife abuse    10. Cultural studies    11. Family & Relationships / Family Relationships    12. Psychology & Psychiatry / Interpersonal Relations    13. Psychology-Interpersonal Relations   

Reviews (12)

Recommended for Everyone
Susan Anderson beautifully utilizes the power of the fable in conveying complex concepts about life, love, and loss in this easy to read story about the Black Swan.Because this book is a story and reads like one it avoids the blandness and instructional nature of other selfhelp books.By the same token the story is not abstract or meandering.The principals and recovery methods presented in the book are clearly and concisely described so that they may be easily put into practice.Furthermore, the storyline helps to make sequence of the twelve steps or lessons easy to remember.I would recommend this book to everyone.

Awesome
Yes, awesome is how I feel about this book.The subject matter is very sensitive for me and I whole heartedly would like to encourage anyone who has been dealing with or trying to understand the depth of abandonment issues to read this book.Many thanks to Susan Anderson for writing this!

Amanda's ally
I thought that this book was very unique in the sense of a talking swan guiding a little girl to recover from feelings of abandonment. At first I thought this book was very sad and cruel from the beginning and then I started to think that the visits with the swan were becoming repetitive. Now I see that Amanda started to make the changes in her life, stood up to her greatest challenge, and the story did continue on her personal life. I would recommend this book to people who have a sense of isolation and feel abandoned by a parent in their life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Children with Special Needs    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family/Marriage    6. Love & Romance    7. Parenting - General    8. Rejection (Psychology)    9. Separation (Psychology)    10. Coping with personal problems    11. Marriage, family & other relationships    12. Popular psychology   

Reviews (11)

Count me among the skeptical
This book is, as mentioned below, a relic of another time, when people were "uncovering" memories of ghastly abuse via hypnosis.This method of therapy has long since been discredited.The "recovered memory" therapists were bombarded with lawsuits, and some patients retracted their claims.The book should definitely be taken with a grain of salt.
This book was okay but...
I wouldn't put this book on my list of top-ten most helpful for survivors.Ms. Finney addresses a variety of questions survivors have, however, I am weary of any book that recommends recovering memories through self hypnosis...the author herself did not remember her abuse until she was under hypnosis. In this age of False Memory Syndrome hysteria, it is probably not the best idea to go digging around in ones past with self hypnosis....

Is this too much to believe?
It is difficult to absorb all the information, especially the person just beginning to heal.I'm not sure what I believe, but I am definitely skeptical.The author did not even know of her abuse until hypnosis. Her memories were not recovered until this time and the abuse was so horrible,almost beyond belief.Often, while reading, I caught myself thinking that it could not be true or that the author had gone to far. She is very quick to suggest that it is 'always abuse.'I would not recommend this book to someone just starting to seek help for abuse issues. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse    2. Abuse - General    3. Abuse - Sexual    4. Adult child sexual abuse victi    5. Adult child sexual abuse victims    6. Child molesting    7. Miscellanea    8. Rehabilitation    9. Self-Help    10. Counselling    11. Sexual abuse    12. Social, group or collective psychology   

Subjects:  1. Abuse    2. Conjugal violence    3. Family Violence    4. Marital violence    5. Sociology    6. Sociology - Marriage & Family    7. United States    8. Violence in Society    9. Cultural studies    10. Psychology & Psychiatry / Interpersonal Relations   

Reviews (29)

Predators
This book is unbelievably frank in it's information on the subject! It is written for the average person and aside from the fact that it is frightening It alerts the average person as to the awareness of evil in offendors and what to be on the lookout for! Good Read!

Not as good as expected
I must disagree with the others who gave this book a poor review. I do believe the book is not exploiting fear. It is depcting the truth of a horrible subject and those who downplay this are in some denial. Unfortunalty, how the book conveys this is sub par. It focuses mainly on the offender's mind and the type of horrible crimes offenders commit, but it is often redundant. It briefly departs from its overly dramatized narratives to cover types of offenders, but for the most part I found myself having to hunt for information. Many passages in the book read like a novel with the author trying to play up the drama of the situation which will be almost like culture shock to nayoen used to reading typical psychology books on this subject. It has a lot of filler, I think, and is certainly not a concise information packed book.
good general information but disturbing
i think that this book is really intended for parents, single women,and others who have reason to fear various sex offenders.while she is a psychologist, she did not target this book for a professional or law enforcement audience.it helps the reader to realize the extent of various forms of (illicit) sexual activities.most importantly, i think that she pragmatically helps people to open their eyes, think, be aware of suspicious behaviors, and do something to protect themselves and their loved ones.it has interesting information on deception.i would have liked to have seen practical suggestions for dealing with potentially dangerous situations, more suggestions for proactively avoiding them, how to obtain background information on applicants, how to handle suspicions, listing state predator web sites, relevant laws, law enforcement methods, psychosexual violence risk assessments, etc.while it is targeted to a general popular audience, i was somewhat disappointed that she did not identify the scientific literature upon which she based her conclusions.as a writer of fiction, she has mastered the art of pulling the reader in.a fairly light read, at times not for the faint hearted, it contains valuable information for anyone who wishes to protect themselves or loved ones from potential predators.either the font was very small or my eyes aren't as good as they used to be. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Clinical Psychology    2. Criminology    3. Human Sexuality    4. Psychology    5. Psychopathology - General    6. Sociology    7. Criminal or forensic psychology    8. Sexual abuse   

Reviews (9)

I can't believe it!
This book is nothing but riding on the current child-abuse hysteria! Read It Again and Again
Mariah Burton Nelson has taken an abstract concept and made it concrete.The book is beautifully written and impeccably researched, making it perfect for a good read or for a more scholarly examination of the information cited.Using both secular and religious concepts, this book does not preach.It is full of love and will enrich your life.

The little things
Thus far, I've been spared the torments experienced by many of the peopleMariah profiles in her book.Her book touched me deeply on a far lessdramatic level:Daily life.Life at work, at home, and on the road can soeasily be an assault of small irritations.Because of Mariah's gentle,insightful book, I now pause to think empathetically about the"perpetrator".Each day is now far more relaxed.Thanks,Mariah. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Adult child sexual abuse victi    3. Adult child sexual abuse victims    4. Forgiveness    5. General    6. Nelson, Mariah Burton    7. Personal Growth - Happiness    8. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    9. Psychology    10. Self-Help   

Reviews (20)

The Wife Read It
I bought it for her and she thought it was worthwhile. So much so I ordered some similar titles. These books aren't crazy. They're for women that refuse to be victims.

Armed and Female
Informative
a must read if you are considering a handgun
Thoughtful, informative and written in simple language for the woman who has, or is intending to own/carry a concealed weapon.
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Subjects:  1. Crimes against    2. Firearms    3. General    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Prevention    6. Self-defense for women    7. Sociology    8. United States    9. Use in crime prevention    10. Women    11. Women's Studies - General    12. Sports & Recreation / Martial Arts & Self-Defense   

Reviews (30)

Loved the courage of this child
It Seems like everyone is trying to compare him with his brother. It shouldn't matter who got beaten the worse, their both strong and brave because they survived. I think the brothers should have help each other alot more. And their dad was a disgrace. It's just ashamed the community let this happen, And did not put her in jail for all the harsh stuff she did and they also had proof of it.
Following his brothers footsteps
I read all of David's books and was very moved..however Richard's seemed to hit alot of the same incidents..in either case I can't believe no one ever spoke up to help..I do feel David's books were better written .. I feel bad anyone would have to go through life as they did.. I wouldn't pass this book as I feel it almost reads the same as David's

Amazing story
This book was amazing. The hell Richard Pelzer and his brother David were put through makes you wonder how a mother could ever harm their child. I couldn't put this book down as I couldn't put David Pelzer's books down either. As soon as I recieved the book in the mail, I started to read it and was done in 2 days, which was disappointing because now I have nothing to read! Order this book, you won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Childhood Memoir    7. Personal Memoirs    8. Specific Groups - General    9. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Editorial Review

Leslie, a sweet-natured young woman with the mental age of an 8-year-old, just wanted to be friends with the high school football stars. When they invited her down into the basement rec room of a suburban home, she jumped with joy at being included. The young men raped her--with a baseball bat and a broomstick. In this vividly detailed book, Bernard Lefkowitz brings us into the daily life of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, the hometown of Tom Cruise. It's an affluent white community that values propriety, order, discretion, continuity, and a fantasy of the gentleman-athlete. Lefkowitz writes of the boys who raped Leslie: "'These Glen Ridge kids, they were pure gold, every mother's dream, every father's pride. They were not only Glen Ridge's finest, but in their perfection they belonged to all of us. They were Our Guys." What's ultimately most shocking about this crime is how ordinary it was, how predictable--how in one way or another it's happening now, all across America. ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Suburban horror
Beyond being an utterly gripping read, Bernard Lefkowitz's 'Our Guys' is an incredibly powerful indictment of the perverse cultural values that permeated Glen Ridge, New Jersey, in the late 1980s--and that continue to be America's dominant values. The bored, pampered, arrogant, sociopathic jocks (from affluent families) who gang-raped a mentally retarded schoolgirl for their amusement didn't just fall out of the sky. These evil young men were the pure products of a deranged culture that sanctifies (white) male violence, domination, winning, and hedonistic pleasures as some sort of birthright.

A shocking look at what norming sexism does
One of the boys in this case never went to trial because the victim's family and the victim herself were worn out by the process of trial and the community harassment that went with it. You see, the community sided with the good boys in the case, not with the victim---she was 'different' after all. Richie Corcoran went on to join the Army, despite his record, with the full understanding of the military.When he came home from a tour in Afghanistan to his estranged wife, he tried to kill her and her new boyfriend, and then himself. In the latter he succeeded.He was a wife beater and a rapist, and he was the product of his town and his father, who was a cop. Wonder what that guy's view of rape victims was?
Ultimately a disappointment
I'm a big fan of true crime books and the glowing reviews of this one made it look enticing. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as good as the reviews here suggest. It is a promising topic - the gang rape of a retarded girl by a group of moneyed jocks - but it's just not engrossing. The book can't seem to make up its mind what it wants to be - journalism or sociology. So it fails as both. Frankly, it's appallingly edited, and is overlong by several hundred pages (it would have made a good pithy New Yorker article). There's a lot of amateur sociological speculation. The characters are not finely drawn (the author thinks research is a good subsititute). Just when a part gets interesting, more dry pseudo-analysis bogs it down. It is occasionally interesting, and eventually you get the facts of the case. But it's not very well written and is best read if you're interested in the subject rather than fine journalism. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crimes aganist    2. Criminology    3. Gang rape    4. Glen Ridge    5. New Jersey    6. Offenses Against Women    7. Sexism    8. Social Psychology    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. United States    13. Women with mental disabilities    14. Crime & criminology    15. Ethical issues & debates    16. History / Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies)    17. Men's studies    18. USA   

Reviews (10)

I felt supported in my own walk through my pain as I read this book
This book felt like a friend when I had no one to talk to or wanted to talk to about the pain, anger, disappointment, crushed dreams and wounding of the memories of incest.Jesus reached out to me with compassion, relatiblity and hope as I read this book.I would reccommend it but it is painful to read through just because of the subject matter.

Deliverance and Hope
"Door of Hope" has done more for me than I imagined it would.It encouraged me to have the strength to stand in such a debilitating situation.I was able, after reading this book, to come decisions that I would not have been able to come to otherwise.
Not what it says it is
This author writes about HER healing but gives the impression it is about and for others.I think it is good for victims to find their way to healing and writing a book is often a helpful tool, however this author leads one to believe this book is about others, when it is really about herself.She dangles the stories of other people but uses them as a vehical to return the story to herself.I find that kind of "help" not helpful at all because it leaves much unfinished and becomes singular in it's purpose.Congratulations to the author for finding her voice but please be honest about the purpose of the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abused women    2. Adult child abuse victims    3. Christian life    4. Christianity - Christian Life - General    5. General    6. Incest victims    7. Inspirational - Protestant Self Help    8. Pastoral counseling of    9. Psychology    10. Self-Help    11. Frank, Jan    12. Self-Help / General   

Editorial Review

All parents fall short from time to time. But Susan Forward pulls no punches when it comes to those whose deficiencies cripple their children emotionally. Her brisk, unreserved guide to overcoming the stultifying agony of parental manipulation--from power trips to guilt trips and all other killers of self worth--will help deal with the pain of childhood and move beyond the frustrating relationship patterns learned at home. ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Another psychologist's perspective
As a counseling psychologist, I read this book hoping to better understand the nature of this issue. I think Dr. Forward has a greal deal of experience and knowledge about the subject, and there are some helpful sections in her book. I feel, however, that the tone and way in which she delivers her information comes across as self-promoting, at best, and is presumptious and harmful, at worst. Through the vignettes and therapeutic dialogues, Dr. Forward paints herself as an expert who knows what people should think, react, and behave regarding this matter. I am concerned for the general public because Dr. Forward is so absolute and dogmatic about how people should approach this situation and "heal." At no point in her book does she qualify her statements or advice, which I feel should have been addressed. While the advice in the book may help many people, I would like readers to know that she does not take into account cultural, ethnic/racial, social, economic, or other personal differences that could influence how you perceive, respond, and relate to "toxic parents."

Overly Simplistic but Good Tips
As someone who has a toxic mother, you know how everyday feels like an eternity when you feel so much pain inside.Half of the book is about other people's experiences with her in therapy and the other half is about how we can change our situation ourselves.I gave her 1 star because of this very important point that she misses:If you have a truly toxic parent, confrontation is not the answer (as she says).I agree with the other reviewer who gave one star because it doesn't seem like she has truly been in this kind of a situation.The REALITY of LIVING WITH TOXIC PARENTS is that THEY DO NOT CHANGE.I am a grounded and fair minded person, but I think her advice is baloney.And she spent chapters on bits of advice that you could outline on one page.I felt so bad after reading it.Thanks for letting me share my thoughts with all of you.

I Only Wish I Had Read this YEARS Ago!
It would have saved me years of guilt about hating my mother ("Mommie Dearest" without all the glamour) and wishing things could be different.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Adult child abuse victims    3. Co-dependence (Psychology)    4. Dysfunctional Families    5. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    6. Problem families    7. Psychology    8. Self-Help    9. United States    10. Adolescent children    11. Self-Help / Self-Esteem   

Reviews (1)

From handling feels of loss to overcoming feelings associated with having loved an abuser
Meg Kennedy Dugan is Director of the Victim Assistance Program in New Hampshire and co-author Roger Hock is a Professor of Psychology: the two join forces and expertise to provide the updated second edition of IT'S MY LIFE NOW: STARTING OVER AFTER AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Life after getting out of such a relationship often continues to be a struggle, and IT'S MY LIFE NOW offers guidance to overcoming common pitfalls, blending worksheets with insights on self exploration and ongoing growth. From handling feels of loss to overcoming feelings associated with having loved an abuser, IT'S MY LIFE NOW continues to offer invaluable lessons.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abuse - Spousal Abuse    3. Abused women    4. Life skills guides    5. Psychology    6. Psychotherapy - Counseling    7. Self-Help    8. Separation (Psychology)    9. Single women    10. Coping with personal problems    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / Counseling   

Reviews (1)

Excellent resource
I would recommend this seller to all of my friends and colleauges. Manual sent promptly and in excellent condition. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Dysfunctional Families    3. Self-Help    4. Domestic violence    5. Women's health   

Reviews (7)

excellent book
If you have been sexually abused or being sexually abused now, this book will reassure you that you are not the only person who has gone through this terrible experience.You can see from the profiles in this book that people go on to have full, meaningful lives and relationships.The people profiled are people I would like to meet and know, people who would make good friends.You can hear it in their words and see it in their pictures.There are also lots of resources in the back: books, web sites, help lines, and more.

Indispensable read
I have not suffered childhood abuse but was recommended this book as a source of inspiration and education on helping people to face and overcome the abuse they've suffered and suppressed for years.This book is a breath of fresh air for victims and friends interested in helping loved ones heal persistent, bottled up wounds; it provides hope and can be a great source of inspiration for all readers.

Good book for survivors
I really like this book because it comes from various survivors. They tell their stories.This is positive from a theraputic standpoint when working with survivors of sexual abuse. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Biography & Autobiography - General    3. Case studies    4. Child sexual abuse    5. Children's 12-Up - Recovery    6. Children's Books/Young Adult Social Situations    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Sexual abuse victims    11. Social Issues - Sexual Abuse    12. Social Problems (General) (Young Adult)    13. United States    14. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Drugs, Alcohol, Substance Abuse   

Reviews (8)

GO FISHing
This is a tough book to read (even tougher to have lived) but rewarding.We flinch from the reality of prison life, but must celebrate the author's survival and indeed triumph over his experiences.

A Timely, Brillianty Realized Journey Through an American Hell
With harrowing accounts of American torture and the abrigation of human rights filling the nightly news, this author's account of his experience in theprison system could not have come at a better time.Mr. Parsell's mid-western sensibilities and appreciation of the absurd evokes the feeling here of Tom Sawyer meets The Gulag Archipelago.The book takes us inside a world most of us would rather ignore or see romantized on the screen.But T.J. Parsell has the courage and powers of obvservation to carry us along on an arc from misquided child to a writer who can not only define shapes in the darkness but write about it in a way that makes the truths he discovers there universal.

Don't Miss This Read...
This is a book I could not put down. Brutal, moving and written with compassion, it is about the horrific journey the author experienced as an adolescent in a man's prison - a result of a teenage prank gone bad. The book is a compelling read with insights into the author's recent past and events leading to his imprisonment through flashbacks of a family life riddled by dysfunction. I laughed and was moved to tears but mostly I was filled with frustration and anger at a system that lets the few - who have a chance to be rehabilitated - down. As a reader, I was awed that the author survived and was spared to write his story. His is a powerful voice that sheds light on what goes on in our prisons. A.H. Chandler ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Criminals & Outlaws    6. Male rape victims    7. Personal Memoirs    8. Prisoners    9. Psychology    10. United States    11. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs