Reviews (18)

Not what I was expecting
This book has the feel of a university literary thesis paper. A collection of "isms" which could apply to any point of one's life with very little of it pertinent to midlife. I got somewhat excited when the author mentioned that he was now going to discuss some case studies only to be left with literarily analogies like Faust. Not very helpful in my opinion.

Vancouver in midlife ? ...
An amazing number of people in Vancouver are reviewing midlife crisis books ... is that city going through it's own midlife crisis ?
Recommended Challenge for Greater consciousness & Individuation at Midlife
The Middle Passage: From Misery to Meaning in Midlife Studies in Jungian Psychology by Jungian Analysts; 59 by James Hollis, PhD was published in 1993 and is his first contribution to the series.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Jungian Psychology    3. Middle age    4. Movements - Jungian    5. New Age (Self Help)    6. Psychological aspects    7. Psychology    8. Psychology Of Adulthood    9. Child & developmental psychology    10. Psychotherapy   

Reviews (25)

How to go on living when someone you love dies
This is very easy to read and very practical. The author has great insight into grief and gives much knowledge for men and women going through grief. The book not only deals with all phases of grief, but also looks at secondary losses as well.
How to Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies
I found the book to be very helpful to me in coping with the sudden loss of my Father.It helped me to confirm that I was not losing my mind.

How to go on Living when someone dies
Fresh in my grief, I found this a hard book to read. It has a lot of text book information and probably is very helpful later in grief. But, it reads like a text book and I found it hard to process when my grief was so fresh. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bereavement    2. Death, Grief, Bereavement    3. General    4. Grief    5. Psychological aspects    6. Psychology    7. Coping with death & bereavement    8. Self-Help / Death, Grief, Bereavement   

Reviews (9)

An asset to have
Gifts Differing is an excellent book resource for people who want a further understanding of the Meyers Briggs Type Preferences.I suggest this book for someone who has at least basic knowledge of MBTI.I actually gave this as a gift.For anyone interested/involved in MBTI, this is a book one should have.

I cannot say enough good things about this book.
I cannot say enough good things about this book.I finally read it, after letting it sit on my shelf for more than a year.I wish I had read it sooner, and frankly I wish I had read it ten years ago; it would have saved me a lot of grief.On the other hand, would I have understood it ten years ago?I'm not so sure.
THE book on Myers-Briggs Typology
If you are at all interested in the Myers-Briggs personality typing system, this book should be number one on your reading list.Unlike 95% of the books on the subject, this one is not a bunch of pop pyschology fluff.This is one of the only books on the subject with any depth at all to it.And it's a good thing it does, seeing as it was written by the co-creator of the MBTI herself, Isabel Myers.Unlike other "Please Understand Me" or "Type Talk", this book actually deals with the Jungian basis of personality, and not just the four letters associated with each type.The Jungian personality typing system is based on the concept of dominant functions.ENFPs and ENTPs for instance are both "Extraverted Intuitives", which is what defines the way they think more than anything. (And ENFJ, on the other hand is an "Extraverted Feeler").You won't be taught these concepts in most other books on the subject.Isabel also eloquently explains why the MB system is different, especially concerning introverts, from Jung's original system.Read more

Subjects:  1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator    2. Personality    3. Psychology    4. Typology (Psychology)    5. Psychology & Psychiatry / General    6. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (6)

Beneath the Mask
This book is excellent. It is very well written and provides interesting and exciting information. I have really enjoyed learning how the theories that we work from today come from the theorists own life expereinces. It is fascinating. I highly reccommend this book for those who really want to understand what is behind a theory and know the person behind the theory.

"All the world is a stage..."
I have likened most psychology and counseling texts as being about as exciting to read as a Chilton's car repair manual. Absorbing and insightful
This updated book contains some of the most absorbing and insightful summaries of personality theories I have read. The section on Erikson epitomizes his work in a way I have not seen elsewhere. The chapter on Maslow is a balanced view of the strengths and limitations of his theory. The chapter on evolutionary psychology is a clear summary and introduction to this field. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mental Health    2. Personality    3. Philosophy    4. Psychology    5. Psychology & Psychiatry / Personality    6. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (2)

Only partly about development...
Shaffer, a professor at University of Georgia, has put his heart into this book on social and personality development.Besides the production problems noted by other reviewers (no colors, repetition, and expense), this book has conceptual and organizational problems. tedious
While the text provides a lot of detailed information about research studies and theories, it is a bit tedious in rehashing the same information chapter after chapter.Basically, it tends to make the same points repeatedly throughout, and I found it somewhat boring to read.Also, the pages lack any hint of color, which only adds to the monotonous feeling. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Personality    2. Personality development    3. Psychology    4. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    5. Social Psychology    6. Socialization    7. Sociology - General    8. Child & developmental psychology    9. Social Science / Sociology / General    10. Social, group or collective psychology    11. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (19)

NCMom
This book explained so much!Growing up with foster parents and no consistent parenting has made life confusing.Its been interesting to read that any adult, even the adults with the same parents from birth also have attachment issues.This is the first book I have found that explains how someone's childhood dramatically affects our ability to attach to our own children.Every parent I know wants to give their children their best and this book shows me how anyone understand ALL the sides of attachment disorder.Most of the books I have found have only explained why a child is not able to attach.What a relief to understand the whole subject.

Great for professionals in mental health fields!
Karen's work reviews attatchment research and theory from inception through present day. It's a fascinating read as well, authored by a practitioner and teacher, one who interviewed the great minds that participated in creating a phenomenal view of child development. However, the back cover recommends it as a guide for parents, which it is not. Most parents would feel misled by finding a review of the field rather than recommended parenting skills or practice.

One of the most influential books I have ever read
My education is in Physics and Economics, so whatever psychological knowledge (or lack there of) I have is self-taught. Accordingly, please understand my review is from a perspective that is surely naive. That being said I found "Becoming Attached" so profound that it spawned a hunger in me too learn as much as I can about psychology that has continued unabated 2 years after I first read this book. Currently I am immersed in Carl Jung's original writings. If anyone wants a real understanding of how nurture influences individually psychology, I believe this to be an amazing starting point. Please note: this book is solid and dense, I would not read it if you are looking for something light and airy or are interested in the latest pop-psychology. It is for the serious novice. Since I am now a firm believer that nature and nurture work in combination to determine who we are individually, I also highly recommend reading the book "Moral Animal" by Robert Wright. "Moral Animal" is the perfect compliment to "Becoming Attached" and gives a very compelling introduction on how nature influences us. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Attachment behavior    2. Developmental - Child    3. Infant Psychology    4. Mother and child    5. Mother and infant    6. Parenting - Motherhood    7. Psychology    8. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    9. Social Psychology    10. Family & relationships    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / Developmental Psychology    12. Psychology | Sexuality   

Reviews (5)

Nothing new or not obvious here
It's not that the information insn't correct, but it certainly isn't insightful.This seems like a mental exercise for a professor who just wants to get his name in print.Right away you're in trouble becuase he has you go through an exercise and then rate your optimism to see if this book could help you.if you are low on optimism, you need this book, if you are balanced, you need this book and if you are very optimistic, you still need this book.
CD on Learned Optimism is good supplement to book
If you are interested in how optimism can be learned, Seligman's book/CD is a great resource.

Learned Optimism
I received this book about a year ago and I think it is the best self help book on the market.It has been fantastic and has helped me so much by giving me scientifically proven techniques to change the way I look at events or situations.
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Subjects:  1. Psychology    2. General    3. Personality    4. Self-Help / General    5. Recovery    6. Optimism   

Reviews (1)

Wonderful Literature Review
I think that David Buss has assembled a cohesive and thorough overview of evolutionary psychology.This book offers an in depth examination of the standard topics.I believe that this area of psychology will benefit scholars in the social sciences a great deal in the future, as it will lend some substantial connection to the life sciences.I would also recommend Barret,Dunbar, and Lycett. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Physical    2. Developmental - General    3. Developmental Psychology    4. Evolutionary psychology    5. Human Evolution    6. Life Sciences - Evolution - Human    7. Physiological Psychology    8. Psychology    9. Psychology & Psychiatry / Social Psychology   

Reviews (2)

Most important
.
Still needs work
The comprehensive system continues to be reviewed and modified, but Exner still isn't all the way there yet. The text has an overload of information, combining interpretation and research together in a way that is difficultto read. In addition, there are many questions about scoring that are notanswered in the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Assessment, Testing & Measurement    2. Personality    3. Personality Assessment And Testing    4. Psychiatry - General    5. Psychology    6. Rorschach Test    7. Psychological testing & measurement    8. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (11)

NOT ideal for all ages
I am an adult and bought this book thinking it would be useful to me.In my opinion, the advice was OVERLY simplistic.For instance, if you are the annoying type person, stop doing annoying things to people.The advice wasn't this simple, but it was along that line.
Great book to read with your kids!
My 6 year old son and I read this book together.It was very helpful to him.The book is written in "kid friendly" stories.They are easy to understand and make it easy for the parents to explain.

Wish my parents had this when I was a kid
As a shy child who had troubles making friends, this book would have been enormously helpful. I bought it because I realized my daughter was having the same problems I used to have, and I felt helpless to know what to tell her to help her. I didn't want her to suffer as I had, but I wasn't exactly qualified to tell another person how to make friends! I am so glad I got this book. It is full of practical, detailed advice on what you can do to teach your child social skills. I'm finding it useful too! I would recommend it whole-heartedly to anyone who is in the same situation I was in. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Child rearing    2. Developmental Psychology    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family And Child Development    6. Family/Marriage    7. Friendship    8. Friendship in children    9. Human behavior    10. Parenting - General    11. Social skills in children    12. Family & Relationships / Parenting   

Reviews (13)

when there are no words
My husband & I lost our 1st son on 10/31/98 in an auto
When there are no words
My son died 6 months ago. This book was recommended by the parent of someone who had lost their daughter. So far this has been the only book that I have been able to read and fully relate to. This father articulates all that I feel and cannot express. I would recommend reading this if you have lost someone close, especially a child - and certainly would recommend giving it to someone you know who has lost someone.

A Very Personal Story of Loss
Thank you, Charlie Walton, for sharing your very personal story of loss.Writing this book must have been a painful experience, but take comfort in knowing that it has been of tremendous value to this reader.I would describe it as an intimate, one-on-one conversation with someone who has been to hell and back.The author gives a play-by-play of his innermost thoughts and emotions as he tries to process his grief in different situations.I found his advice, which sometimes contradicts popular wisdom, to be right on the money.It's an effortless read, written in an unpolished and completely accessible style which adds to its humanness.There are no sermons, no absolutes, no checklists; just a heartfelt and very personal story of a man who wants to share his grief experience so others might benefit.I'd highly recommend adding this book to your self-help collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bereavement    2. Death    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. Grief    5. Psychological aspects    6. Self-Help    7. Walton, Charlie,    8. Coping with death & bereavement    9. Walton, Charlie   

Reviews (8)

Chicken Soup`s Review
In the book, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Love & Friendship, it has many
Comforting
I have bought several of these for family and friends who have lost a loved one.The stories are very comforting to them.

...something to hold on to...
This beautiful book was published about a year after my father passed from Alzheimer's.After writing my own book, as something to hold on to during my grieving time, I found a lovely surprise with this lovely Chicken Soup book as it comforted me and put me in that gentle healing place with the all the many contributors of this 'grief' book.I was amazed at the many synchronicities and concidences that were shared after the passing of their loved ones. For I had many heavenly experiences with my daddy as well.I felt relieved, very safe, very loved and very much belonging to this whole group of authors who graced me, the reader, with their sweetest private moments of healing.Thanks, Jack and Mark, for the beautiful stories and most perfect timing for me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bereavement    2. Death, Grief, Bereavement    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family/Marriage    5. Inspirational    6. Inspirational - General    7. Self-Help / Death, Grief, Bereavement   

Reviews (45)

A good resource
I approached the enneagram from MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) and this book has been a good companion many times.
Awful, Do Not Buy This Book
The author finds fault with the traditional types of personality categorization systems because he claims they only look for abnormal behaviors and are too narrow and abstract.
Great in-depth information on the levels of each type, but lots of redundant material with their other books.
If you are a serious student of the Enneagram this is an important book to own because of the in-depth material on the different levels of each type and the dynamics of how ascent and descent work.
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Subjects:  1. Enneagram    2. General    3. Personal Growth - Happiness    4. Personality    5. Psychology    6. Self-Help    7. Typology (Psychology)    8. Popular psychology    9. Self-Help / Happiness    10. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (2)

The only textbook I've ever enjoyed
I'm a first-semester MSW student.I don't have a background in social work or the social sciences, so I may be way off when I say that this is the most informative textbook that I've ever read.(Mind you, I'd stil rather be reading something by Howard Zinn or Jared Diamind.)Every page teaches me something new.If it has organizational problems, I haven't noticed, because reading it is so engrossing.

Very poor text book
I'm in a MSW program and this text book was part of the reading material. For a text book, its poorly written. The book jumps from topic to topic and does not have a clear flow from one subject to anouther. Items are misplaced and the information is difficult to find. In my class of 25 student there was no one who was happy with this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Assessment, Testing & Measurement    2. Developmental - General    3. Psychology    4. Public Policy - Social Policy    5. Social Psychology    6. Social Work    7. Political Science / Social Policy    8. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (3)

A great book, a great author!
Alice Miller's books about the realities of childhood trauma, cruel parenting and how to overcome it are wonderful, brutally honest, and freeing.I recommend any book by Alice Miller.

alice miller should be required reading for parents
Alice Miller, the best explanations for the direst of situations locked inside us as we grow up

Excellent!
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.It covers what Miller calls "Poisonous Pedagogy" that stems from parents and religious teaching.If you truly want to free yourself from a toxic and traumatic past buy this book - your mind will undoubtedly be opened to the horrors of accepted childcare and religious teaching practices. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Developmental - General    2. General    3. Psychology   

Reviews (17)

Excellent introduction!
This concise book is an excellent introduction to the four subsequent books that the co-authors published about each of these four archetypes (structures) in the human psyche. These four archetypes are centers of energy in the human psyche that we all need to learn to draw on. The authors use strikingly colorful language to characterize the various patterns of behavior that they detail, which resemble Theodore Millon's account of dependent, independent, ambivalent, and detached personalities.

Prequel
In such a slim volume, the authors did a splendid job of introducing the reader to their 4 male archetypes.They concisely describe these archetypes and provide some arguments for their theory and some applications of their findings.Moore is a Jungian psychologist and Gillette is a mythologist.It's an interesting and fertile collaboration of specialties.But, they simply cannot do justice to the 4 archetypes in one, tiny, volume.Thus, they wrote and published a volume on each of the 4 archetypes (5 books in all).Therefore, I'd consider this an introductory volume or prequel (a bit like the Hobbit to the Lord of the Rings trilogy).It's good in its own right, but better viewed as part of a much larger work.This larger work rates at least 5 stars.By the way, Dr. Moore has also produced numerous audio tapes for the C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago (I'm a life member) which you can buy (or rent if you join).He's a great speaker.In addition to listening to the tapes, I've heard him in person when he came to Maryland.Great drawl!

A manual to for the male psyche
I have no background in psychology, I am a tradesman.I read KWML about 6 months ago and found it to be the 'how-to' guide to repair and rebuild following a devastating personal loss.The four mature archetypes and their attendant immature 'shadows' were highly illustrative to me.The benevolent King, the courageous and disciplined Warrior, capable and knowledgable Magician, and the connected and loyal Lover all have their place, while the immature archetypes provide a guide for what really needs repair within the psyche.Moore is right: there are a lot of us who are still little boys in many ways.I regard this book quite highly, and will re-read it again after I recover it from the last person I lent it to..This is one of the pivotal books of my life.It has its flaws, and could be twice its length, and still leave the reader wanting further study.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Archetype (Psychology)    2. General    3. Literature: Folklore/Mythology    4. Masculinity    5. Men    6. Men's Studies - Masculinity    7. Psychology    8. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness    9. Popular psychology    10. Sexual behaviour    11. Social Science / General   

Reviews (12)

On the unconscious
I have previously read only one book on dream interpretation and think this one is excellent. I've always steered away from dream interpretation because I thought they were too mental for me. I am by nature an intellectual and caught up in daydreaming most of the time anyway. But Johnson tells me to bring feeling and body into the interpretation process, and that I like. excellent for dream work
though i wouldn't follow the author's exact attributions to symbols in dreams (use your personal ones - what do they mean to you?), the book is still excellent for interpretation and analysis. keep reading it, especially the most important parts, as you are likely to forget. i recommend first reading Owning Your Own Shadow as a primer, also by Robert A. Johnson.

The Wisdom Inside
This wonderful book is clear and practical, and really goes to the point. It instructs you and helps you at two levels: first it explains how our dreams and imagination function as a link between our conscious and unconscious lives; then it goes on to instruct the reader on how to learn from this link and how to build a fruitful and lifelong dialogue between these two spheres of being. In order to achieve the latter, the author shows us, with clear examples, the way to understand our dreams and to use our imagination and so find the wisdom that we all have inside. Although this all sounds like any other self-help book, here the author never means to sound witty, empty or artificially triumphant. He promises nothing and makes sure we understand that what he is telling us is nothing new: many cultures use these same methods for the psychological, spiritual well-being of people. But we happen to be living in a time and culture that have lost the sense of inner life.Reading this book is like listening to the words of a loving teacher, who knows things because "he has been there before".Well-written and packed with no-nonsense spirituality, without losing touch with the world where we live or our common sense. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Developmental - General    2. Dreams    3. Dreams - General    4. Imagination    5. Psychology    6. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / Developmental Psychology    8. Sleep & dreams   

Editorial Review

Recommended by two highly credible authorities, consciousness explorer Ken Wilber and spiritual-growth guru Harville Hendrix, this compendium of Enneagram information was assembled by the cofounders of the Enneagram Institute as an introduction to the subject. Designed with a plenitude of charts, boxes, and quotes (by noted illuminaries such as A.H. Almaas, Maya Angelou, and G.I. Gurjieff), this exceptionally easy-to-use, manual-size paperback teaches the reader how to figure out which of the nine types she is, identifies red flags to self-illusion, and provides practical suggestions for spiritual growth. Advice on how to observe your type's fixations and let go of the need to act out automatic and dysfunctional behavioral responses are down-to-earth and attainable. A distinctly accessible approach to cultivating daily happiness through understanding the complexity of fixations that weave together human personality types. Read more

Reviews (36)

Spiritual Growth through the Enneagram
I have a half dozen Enneagram books on my personal book shelf. This is the only one that clearly addresses the spiritual path in terms of the Enneagram. This helps you to go beyond 'personality type' to real personhood. I found the layout of the book very appealing, too. A good book to read for beginners to the Enneagram as well as folks with more experience in the teachings.

Best and most balanced single reference on the Enneagram.
This is the best single reference on the Enneagram that I know of and I own a lot of books on the Enneagram and use it in my coaching practice. If I had to limit my recommendations on the Enneagram to one book for all audiences, this would be my top choice by a mile.
My favorite Enneagram Book
The Enneagram isn't easily taught through reading a book, but this one does the best job in both introducing the types and more importantly giving clear ways to work with the system. By including core features and super-ego messages, it helps the seeker go a bit deeper into the types than any other of the books I read--getting behind the personality into what drives and feeds it. The little test at the beginning of each chapter are pretty good, but I think it's better to look at the chart of the levels in each Type chapter to help discover your Type. The chapters feature many exercises to guide the reader into self reflection.Other features, like the "Red Flag" fears of each Type, are addressed helping a person notice when they are losing themselves. I think this is a good book both to introduce the system and for the more knowlegeable student of the System. I have used it as a source to take me deeper and deeper on personal journey and a clear way to help others understand themselves. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Enneagram    2. General    3. New Age (Self Help)    4. Personality    5. Psychology    6. Spiritual life    7. Spirituality - General    8. Christian spirituality    9. Psychology & Psychiatry / Personality    10. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (4)

An easy-to-read yet rigorous entry point into self analysis
As a software developer and mathematician presently in my early 60's, ever since I can remember I have always been long on technology and short on "people" knowledge Yet from my early adolescence I remember mydad telling me how important it is to know oneself.While I always agreedwith this good advice, whenever I explored my soul, I seemed to fail tocome up with meaningful, non-judgemental answers - possibly because myquestions themselves were not thought provoking. Nice Tool for Self-Definition
I'm a Creator and a Magician!--who wouldn't be happy to have learned that? I'm also a gardener, a teacher, an artist, an adopted grandmother, a community worker, and I have a lot of other roles in life.Because I readthis book, I recognize my strengths and my inclinations better, and I knowwhat to emphasize in my work and in my relationships. I'm glad I read this,and I'm giving copies to others who are unsure about their strengths andhow to apply them.Thanks!

This book is a useful tool for self imptovement and insight.
Dr. Pearson wrote this book with the lay personin mind.I never reallyunderstood what psychological archetypes were until I read this book.Itis a well written "key" which will likely enhance yourunderstanding of Dr. Carl Jung's work.When used with other great bookslike THE MODERN ALCHEMIST and EGO AND ACHETYPE, the average lay person cansupercharge his/her personal understanding of life patterns and challenges,resulting in accelerated inner growth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Archetype (Psychology)    2. Interpersonal Relations    3. Literature: Folklore/Mythology    4. Movements - Behaviorism    5. Personality    6. Psychology    7. Self-actualization (Psychology    8. Self-actualization (Psychology)    9. Self-realization    10. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / Interpersonal Relations   

Reviews (8)

Bravo!!Dr. Levine- Keep writing!!!
This book is a excellent resource tool for educators of all ages, no matter what professional role in the school.
Ready or not, here life comes
Another good book to read by Mel Levine. His books are very informative and you do learn alot from him.

Enough already!
Mel Levine's basic proposition is that our culture is dysfunctional in its ability to transition young adults, whom he calls "startup adults", from high school and college to productive working lives and careers.