| |
|
|
        |
|
by Pamela Freyd and Eleanor Goldstein Prepublication Review by Alan Gold, Over 125 cartoons by more than 65 cartoonists lead the way through a description of the complex web of psychological and social elements that have nurtured the recovered memory movement. Advance comments: "At once both thoroughtly informative and devastatingly witty." Alan Gold Criminal Defense Attorney, Toronto "I think the book is terrific. I liked it because it supported a lot of the opinions I've had on psychiatry, cults brain-washing and other ideas mentioned in the book." Mort Walker Creator of Beetle Bailey "It's a must read" Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D. Author of Myth of Repressed Memory Smiling through Tears will be available in bookstores in November. Ask your bookstore to order the book. For brochures about the book call 1-800-232-7477 and ask for Stacey. Smiling Through Tears is an amazing book, at once both thoroughly informative and devastatingly witty. It is a thorough and highly readable analysis of all issues surrounding the "recovered memory" hysteria that has battered the North American family scene. Cogently described is the rise, thanks to the ratings-chasing talk shows and Bradshawesque family- hating psychgurus, of a vacuous psychobabble as the dominate interpretive discourse facilitating America's reconstruction as psychic disorders solve all the problems humans encounter in life. It is just a coincidence, of course, that these newly perceived psychic disorders require therapeutic intervention, available, as it happens, at a not inconsiderable cost, from those who have engineered this transformation, the new therapeutic industry. Also described are the terrible witchhunt trials that have resulted as this intellectual illness infected the courtrooms of our judicial system, carried on in there in the persons of bogus, scientifically illiterate "expert" witnesses, to waste resources and ruin lives. But it does all this accompanied by some of the funniest cartoons you will ever read. The book is a primer on all the relevant issues: the science of memory, hypnosis, multiple personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, satanic ritual abuse, pop psychologies and even the relevant legal precedents. These and morc are all discussed in writing that is easily understandable but sacrifices nothing by way of scientific validity. And hilarious cartoons from the New Yorker, Dilbert and Doonsbury, among others. add laughter and entertainment alons the way, while reenforcing the points made in memorable fashion. Other recent books have covered some of the same ground, but in hundreds more pages and thousands more syllables. Scientific research, sociological realities, psychological findings, and psychiatric concepts have never been easier to understand. Calvin and Hobbes explain victimhood in a way that says it all. Maybe the deathknell for the recovered memory quackery was Gary Ramona's successful suit against his daughter's therapist. Maybe it was the appellate reversal of George Franklin's criminal conviction . After reading this book I'm convinced it was when the brilliant cartoonists represented here felt that tug on the compass of their wit that pointed them in the direction of this century's greatest episode of psychic foolishness, so that a curative ridicule could start to be applied. Those that would benefit the most from this wonderful book, the recovered memory fanatics, generally being a self-righteous, humorless lot, probably won't read it. Everyone els -- lawyers, judges, parents, experts, doctors, psychiatrists. counsellors, etc. -- should. There will never be a more compre- hensive or readable exposition of this entire topic for anyone who has to grapple with the issues in their personal or professional life, or anyone just interested. Tragically, the issues covered affect nearly everybody today, and understanding them and what is happening will never be easier than by reading this book. You'll learn and understand, and amidst the learning, you'll laugh with this marvelous book.
|
||
|
Columbia Journalism Review Lights a Firestorm | Reviews Home | Biography | Point of View | Characters | Discussion | Chat | Links
|
