by Arnold Holtzman ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
A well-intentioned but sometimes-controversial guide to preventing and diagnosing behavioral problems.
An examination of adult neuroses connects most difficulties to early infancy and children’s interactions with their mothers.
Holtzman’s (Dead End Sex, 2016, etc.) manual intends to help mothers in “getting it right the first time” by discussing behaviors they should avoid in order to be “Mothers From Heaven” instead of “Mothers From Somewhere Far Below.” After learning about dermatoglyphics—the science of diagnosing disease by studying the hands and feet—Holtzman wondered if physical attributes could be used to identify behavioral problems. Touting the power of subconscious memories, the author claims that nothing is ever truly forgotten, asserting that babies’ positive maternal experiences—such as the uninterrupted comfort of suckling at breasts—are crucial to their healthy cognitive development. “Criminal mothering,” writes the author, makes a child feel worthless and creates adults “who are incapable of experiencing joy.” Freud is center stage in this exploration, and clinical jargon, such as the “false self” (an artificial persona created for protection from trauma), is applied liberally. In addition to definitions of terms, chapters include vivid anecdotes about people who suffer from various neuroses, like Janice, who was rejected by her mother as a child and is unable to form lasting adult relationships. Chapters conclude with useful tidbits; for example, instead of scowling when babies pick up dirty objects, mothers should smile and replace the offensive items with something suitable. Holtzman’s prose is academic and sometimes heady but never dull—there is even a little humor. He jokes about Jewish mothers who might whack him “with a purse” if he offers any advice about them. Somewhat old school in tone—footnotes explain that the pronoun he is used for grammatical continuity—this unapologetic work may be offensive to some readers. For example, ADD and ADHD are referred to as disorders that are “now the rage.” And even though he mentions genetics as one reason for homosexuality, Holtzman also claims that “deficit-father syndrome” is a cause.
A well-intentioned but sometimes-controversial guide to preventing and diagnosing behavioral problems.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-981696-92-5
Page Count: 286
Publisher: PDC Books
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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