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One Nation Under Therapy: How the Helping Culture is Eroding Self-Reliance
by Christina Hoff Sommers and Sally Satel
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"Cancer patients who talk about their ordeal in therapy groups do not live longer," write Sommers (Who Stole Feminism?) and Satel (P.C., M.D.) in this suck-it-up polemic. For them, the pervasiveness of therapeutic thinking and practice in American life provides not healing catharsis but enervating psychic drag and evasion of responsibility. The authors marshal a litany of studies from a variety of perspectives, aiming to convince readers that taking one's lumps with as much equanimity as possible is far preferable to exploring one's feelings via an "unwholesome therapism"--or, worse, using one's "therapized" feelings as an excuse for bad behavior. Placing themselves in the tradition of Christopher Lasch and Allan Bloom, they begin with "The Myth of the Fragile Child," decrying the creeping prohibitions on dodgeball and tag (seen by some as too aggressive and competitive) on the nation's playgrounds as coddling. The next chapter, "Esteem Thyself," takes direct aim at the ideas of Abraham Maslow and self-actualization advocate Carl Rogers, while the following chapters chronicle the descent from "Sin to Syndrome" and "Pathos to Pathology," and track the enforcement of "Emotional Correctness." While basically a one-note book with little grace in its description of its foes, or in its insistent call for taking responsibility for one's own actions, Sommers and Satel's jeremiad will likely generate debate.
Copyright © Reed business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Philosopher-turned-controversialist Sommers and psychiatrist Satel argue as forcibly against contemporary psychotherapeutic notions and nostrums as Sommers did against radical feminism in Who Stole Feminism? (1994) and The War against Boys (2000). The American Enterprise Institute colleagues question five pet doctrines of contemporary therapy by presenting the research evidence for and against them. That is, they Review the relevant literature, letting its conclusions speak for themselves; though they are critical of the five shibboleths, they don't have to apply spin to be convincing. Properly conducted research doesn't, they show, back up the fashionable dogmas that (1) children are psychologically fragile and mustn't be stressed, (2) self-esteem is the sine qua non of psychological health, (3) what moralists call sins are expressions of mental illness, (4) the emotional effects of trauma must be acted out, and (5) all war and disaster witnesses suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sure, some kids are hypersensitive, self-esteem isn't unimportant, PTSD is a real condition, and so forth. Folly and worse result, however, when the five dogmas are generalized as they are in current practice, a point Sommers and Satel drive home--anent dogmas 4 and 5, in particular--in the long sixth chapter, "September 11, 2001: The Mental Health Crisis That Wasn't." Well-written, well-informed public affairs argumentation. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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The Enemy Within: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Schools, Faith, and Military
by Michael Savage
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Popular radio host Michael Savage returns to print with another attack on the forces of liberalism that he believes are tearing America apart. Using the same brash, abrasive style in his writing that has become a trademark of his radio show, he writes that "the Left operates specifically to undermine God, country, family, and the military" and that liberalism is "either treason or insanity" or "a mental disorder." He also takes on illegal immigration, the state of health care in the U.S., the "Hollywood Idiots," and the decline of schools and morality in general, all of which he blames on Liberals. Savage also drops bombshells such as: "Federal courts and judges in America today are to be more feared than al-Qaida," and Ruth Bader Ginsberg's appointment to the Supreme Court is "akin to appointing the general counsel of the Ku Klux Klan to the bench." Statements as bombastic as these deserve to be backed up with substance and well-thought out arguments, yet Savage offers little more than an anecdote or two before moving on to the next rant. This is not to say he doesn't make some good points or highlight blatant abuses by government, questionable suits brought by the ACLU, or morally bankrupt product coming out of Hollywood, but one can't help noticing that several shades of gray have been left out of his black-and-white arguments. Due to this lack of hard facts and background, Savage's book is not particularly convincing. Still, Savage does consistently challenge readers with controversial opinions and conclusions, so it would be a shame for potential readers to dismiss his book simply on ideological grounds alone. And if he really sets your blood boiling, you can always call him up on his show and take him to task. --Shawn Carkonen
From Publishers Weekly
According to the conservative shock jock, host of the syndicated radio show Savage Nation (and author of the bestselling book of the same title), America's greatest threat comes not from terrorists or foreign nations, but from liberals. In the outrageous, controversial style that made him a hit on syndicated radio-and cost him his short-lived TV show on MSNBC-this wide-ranging screed covers Savage's strident views on everything from the courts to the military, the media, universal health care, religion, public education and what Savage sees as the decline of American morality. In sweeping, purposely dramatic prose, he accuses "mad dog" leftists of a conspiracy "to undermine God, country, family, and the military." Select examples are given of what he sees as democracy run amok, such as one teacher who reportedly gave extra credit to her class for writing antiwar letters to the White House and refused extra credit to a student who wrote a letter supporting the war. Heavy on bluster and light on facts, however, Savage's attempts to stretch such anecdotes into a portrait of national decay appear specious at best, as do many other colorful claims, such as that the Democratic Party views "the Judeo-Christian faith as public enemy number one." On the radio, Savage's tough talk is designed to jolt listeners. Fixed in print, his words are even more startling, resonating with hate and intolerance. As for his now infamous firing from MSNBC for telling a gay caller to "get AIDS and die," Savage offers a weak defense, suggesting that he was the victim of a conspiracy.
Copyright © Reed business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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The Formation of Islam: Religion and Society in the Near East, 600-1800 (Themes in Islamic History)
by Jonathan P. Berkey and Patricia Crone
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'No doubt, the study provides a scholarly treatment of the subject not only students and lay public would find it interesting and informative, more serious scholars of the subject would also find it worth-reading.' Islamic Studies
'The Formation of Islam makes a significant contribution to what it is hoped will become a prominent strand in Islamicate historiography the book lucidly charts the incremental formation of the Islamicate state-society complex an incisive and textured account of the ebb and flow of Islamicate civilisation.' The Muslim World Book Review
' a fascinating, complex and dynamic plot, that is both chronological and thematic. The narrative is packed with information and interpretations, sometimes conflicting interpretations that challenge the traditional story, or criticize the theory of a particular historical school. But, condensed as it is, Berkey enlivens it with anecdotes, verses of poetry, quotations of hadith or particular scences of medieval life.' Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam
Book Description
Jonathan Berkey surveys the religious history of the peoples of the Near East from approximately 600 to 1800 c.e. After examining the religious scene in the Near East in late antiquity, he investigates Islam's first century, the "classical" period from the accession of the Abbasids to the rise of the Buyid amirs. He then traces the emergence of new forms of Islam in the middle period, deftly showing how Islam emerged slowly as part of a prolonged process.
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The Sense of Being Stared At: And Other Unexplained Powers of the Human Mind
by Rupert Sheldrake
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Extending the line of thought propounded in his dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home, Sheldrake continues his investigations of perceptions that don't seem to correlate to our known senses. It's a project that carries risks of which he is well aware ("[t]o go against this taboo involves a serious loss of intellectual standing, a relegation to the ranks of the uneducated"), and is careful to base his arguments on sustained research. Using a database of more than 4,500 case histories of "apparently unexplained perceptiveness by people and by nonhuman animals," Sheldrake investigates a wide range of psychic phenomena, organizing his inquiries by specific media. One chapter covers "Telephone Telepathy," whereby one can be thinking of a person who then calls or can "actively induce" someone to call. He also covers cats who rush to the phone when it is their owner on the line, but of particular interest are the studies and anecdotes presenting evidence of other sorts of telepathic or psychic communication between children and parents, as well as the tales of dreams and visions that seem to have predicted the tragic events of September 11. Some of the material fails to convince (such as the woman who says her husband can sense the correct Trivial Pursuit answer if she thinks about it), and some readers may wish that Sheldrake had more fully dealt with selective memory and retrospective narration where details are unconsciously embellished. Nevertheless, the title chapter is extremely convincing, dealing with those moments in which we "know" someone is looking at us, and turn around to find it to be so: Sheldrake has data on response rates that differ as to place, gender and type of gaze (curiosity, sexual desire, anger, etc.), and goes on to devote a whole chapter to "Surveillance and Wariness."
Copyright 2003 Reed business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Sheldrake proposes that the mind extends beyond the conventionally recognized parameters; that "detectable effects" of this extended mental field can be measured in several phenomena associated with vision; and that there is a biological and evolutionary basis for telepathy. The author describes experiments that have tested the existence of the mental "morphic field" and briefly but convincingly refutes some of his critics by showing the flaws in their experiments. He outlines several projects that readers can undertake to investigate such questions as e-mail telepathy, silent calls to pets, and, of course, the sense of being stared at. A significant number of pages venture beyond the rigors of experimentation to include an excellent discussion of how various cultures view the "evil eye," many colorful anecdotes drawn from surveys, and occasional leaps of thought that seem to omit necessary connections. Sheldrake's trademark juxtaposition of fantastic subject matter with practical scientific discipline is highly entertaining and should prove irresistible to inquiring minds. For teachers and discussion groups, there are challenges galore for the curious, the credulous, the skeptical, or the anti-intellectual-and some invaluable examples of how science can work to reveal surprising aspects of our world.
Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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What the Koran Really Says: Language, Text, and Commentary
by Ibn Warraq
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Fortean Times, April 2003
"Excellent book on a sensitive and under-explored subject."
About.com
"Scholars, students, and those with a keen interest in Islamare sure to get a lot out of this collection."
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Why I Am Not a Muslim
by Ibn Warraq
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Midwest Book Review
This is the first book written by a former Muslim to critically consider the major principles of Islam. From the religion's origins and the nature of Mohammed's message and laws to Islamic views of women, politics and society, this provides a strong critical view of the Koran and its associated societies.
--This text refers to the
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Bookviews.com
"For anyone seeing to understand the headlines, this scholarly examination of Islam should be "must" reading."
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Why I Am Not a Muslim
by Ibn Warraq
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On 7-21-2006
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Midwest Book Review
This is the first book written by a former Muslim to critically consider the major principles of Islam. From the religion's origins and the nature of Mohammed's message and laws to Islamic views of women, politics and society, this provides a strong critical view of the Koran and its associated societies.
Bookviews.com
"For anyone seeing to understand the headlines, this scholarly examination of Islam should be "must" reading."
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
It is well to bear in mind while reading this book the distinction between theory and practice; the distinction between what Muslims ought to do and what they in fact do; what they should have believed and done as opposed to what they actually believed and did. Read the first page
Capitalized Phrases (CAPs):
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Old Testament, Saudi Arabia, Abu Nuwas, Ibn Ishaq, Middle East, Abu Bakr, New Testament, Jesus Christ, Judgment Day, North Africa, Bat Ye'or, Banu Qurayza, Bernard Lewis, Central Arabia, Ibn Kammuna, Professor Watt, Salman Rushdie, Firuz Shah, Patricia Crone, Benazir Bhutto, Ibn Abi-l-Awja, Ibn Hazm, Ibn Tufayl, Abd Allah, Abu Lahab
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Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate
by Leila Ahmed
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From Publishers Weekly
This survey examines the historical roots and contemporary condition of Islamic discourse on gender.
Copyright 1993 Reed business Information, Inc.
Product Review
Ethnic and Racial Studies : "A meticulous historical analysis of the discourses on women and society in Islamic countries."-Ethnic and Racial Studies
Barbara D. Metcalf Middle Eastern Studies : "Ahmed's book is a significant contribution. . . . Its ambitious scope, its lucidity, and its committed vision all make it a work that will be stimulating and informative for specialists, students, and general readers alike."-Barbara D. Metcalf, Middle Eastern Studies
Lamin Sannerh, D. Willis James Christian Century : "This is an important book that deserves to be recieved beyond its primary audience of feminist readers."-Lamin Sanneh, D. Willis James, Christian Century
Foreign Affairs : "This book stands out as particularly original, insightful and sensitive. Concentrating on one of the nearly taboo topics of Islam, its treatment of women, the author examines the patrilineal traditions in the Middle East that preceded Islam and discusses objectively the ways in which Islam both improved and curtailed the freedoms of women in its earliest days. . . . A highly original and important book."-Foreign Affairs
Suad Joseph Women, War, and History : "Women and Gender in Islam will quickly become one of the most important treatises on gender and Islam. . . . Effectively documented, strongly argued, and passionately written."-Suad Joseph, Women, War, and History
Eliz Sanasarian International journal of Middle East Studies : "Refreshingly balanced and brilliantly insightful, this book is a major scholarly contribution to the history of women in Islam. It is must reading for any social science or humanities course on the Middle East or Islam."-Eliz Sanasarian, International journal of Middle East Studies
Carla Petievich Feminist Collections : "A remarkable tour de force, conceived, presented, analyzed, and articulated with unusual clarity. . . . An impressive social history of mores and attitudes toward women. . . . Because of the book's exceptional breadth and depth of discussion, I enthusiastically endorse Leila Ahmed's Women and Gender in Islam as a classroom text, as a reference work, and as an exemplar of what feminist cultural history can be."-Carla Petievich, Feminist Collections
Haleh Afshar Third World Quarterly : "[An] exemplary case of in-depth historical survey. . . . Women's studies in general and Middle Eastern studies in particular are much enriched by [this] work, which should be included in the readings of all who wish to gain a sound understanding of Muslim women and politics in the Middle East."-Haleh Afshar, Third World Quarterly
Cornelia Sorabji Times Higher Education Supplement : "Elegantly argued and intertwining at least three subjects of great contemporary interest - Islam, feminism and postcolonialism - it is certainly both timely and thought provoking."-Cornelia Sorabji, Times Higher Education Supplement
Sherifa Zuhur Middle East Journal : "[Ahmed] ably portrays the circumstances of women from the medieval period into modern times by synthesizing various materials. The outcome will allow the general reader a far richer notion of women's society as a whole."--Sherifa Zuhur, Middle East Journal
Sherifa Zuhur Journal of Interdisciplinary History : "A masterful discussion of women's condition in the Muslim Middle East. She highlights the crucial historical arguments over women by skillfully incorporating excellent secondary sources on the early period and provides her own interpretations of certain key primary sources later on. . . . An important contribution."-Sherifa Zuhur, Journal of Interdisciplinary History
Elizabeth Fox-Genovese : "This thoughtful and thought-provoking book should be required reading for anyone who is interested in the complexity of women's experience."-Elizabeth Fox-Genovese
Riffat Yusuf Africa Events : "Clearly one of the book's enduring strengths is Leila Ahmed's genuine, as opposed to academic, concern (a distinction often lost on writers of Islam) that Muslim women, for too long the subject of inflated homilies or hollow gender confrontations, strike up their own debate--on grounds designed to suit rather than stifle."-Riffat Yusuf, Africa Events
Kevin F. Dwyer Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science : "A provocative exploration . . . Leila Ahmed provides a sensitive, phenomenological rethinking of this timely subject. . . . this perceptive book marks a step toward addressing the deficiency . . . of objectively valid studies of Arab women."-Kevin F. Dwyer, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
Joyce Mokeshi-Parker Africa World Review : "I would not hesitate to recommend this book as a good source of information."-Joyce Mokeshi-Parker Africa World Review
Judith Tucker : "A signal contribution to the question of Islam and gender as well as a solid overview of the history of gender in the region."-Judith Tucker
Lidwien Kapteijns American Historical Review : "An inspiring tour de force. . . . This courageous and provocative study is a formidable historiographical milestone on whose strengths we must learn to build."--Lidwien Kapteijns, American Historical Review
Catherine R. Stimpson : "This is a book that had to be written. This is a book that must be read. No other general survey of women and gender in Islam exists. I am deeply grateful to Leila Ahmed for giving us this book."-Catharine R. Stimpson
Publishers Weekly : "A pathbreaking survey of Islamic discourse."-Publishers Weekly
Abbas Milani San Francisco Chronicle : "With impressive scholarship, lucid style and a theoretical approach elegantly in command of both feminist and Islamic perspectives, Leila Ahmed . . . helps unravel the mysteries of gender and women in Islam. . . . The passion Ahmed feels for the plight of Middle Eastern women is matched only by her commitment to a style of scholarship that is parsimonious, sober, rigorous and dispassionate. . . . The thematically rich arguments of her book are centered on debunking the Islamic and colonialist myths about Muslim women, as well as correcting what she feels are erroneous assumptions made by some Western feminists."-Abbas Milani, San Francisco Chronicle
Susan E. Davis New Directions for Women : "While providing a wonderfully comprehensive survey of her subject, [Ahmed] shows how Western chauvinism has harshly - and unfairly - judged women's status in Islamic societies. She exposes this bias with force and eloquence and, in the process, makes a brilliant case for the liberation of Islamic women on their own terms and in their own time, free from Western constructs or dictates."-Susan E. Davis, New Directions for Women |
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