by John Goulet , illustrated by Alexander T. Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
A clear and readable introduction to building healthier relationships through better communication.
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A concise, illustrated conflict-resolution handbook.
In his slim nonfiction debut, Goulet centers on the roots of conflicts with the aim of providing basic, common-sense resolutions: “The goal of a well working relationship is not the absence of conflict or differences,” he writes, “it’s the ability of couples to resolve these problems so they can move on and enjoy being together.” The author, a marriage and family therapist with 30 years of experience, takes readers through a simplified breakdown of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model, briefly elaborating on its five conflict styles—avoiding, accommodating, compromising, competing, and collaborating—with successful and unsuccessful scenarios clearly illustrated in Lee’s (The Puppy Explorer, 2018, etc.) black-and-white pen-and-ink drawings. Goulet stresses simple, straightforward techniques, from mirroring (in which one partner repeats back what the other has said, not to challenge it, but to hear it clearly) to negotiation and meaningful compromise, and he also explores common mistakes, such as interrupting, stating problems in vague and unhelpful terms, or indulging in anger. Indeed, one of the book’s main themes is that anger—or rather, the improper expression of it—never helps a situation. Goulet advises readers to be mindful of their own feelings in order to better understand how situations can affect them in subtle ways. The author’s direct, plainspoken language combines very effectively with Lee’s simple illustrations to produce a highly accessible guide to basic couples-conflict resolution. It portrays everyday scenes, such as sharing household chores or deciding on a restaurant, in ways that readers will find instantly recognizable, and Goulet’s suggestions for how to handle arising conflicts are encouragingly basic. It may seem oversimplified at times, but it is, at its heart, an entry-level assessment of communication problems, with no digressions into more complex interrelations of the Thomas-Kilmann model. It serves as a useful reminder that relationship problems can sometimes be fairly easy to resolve.
A clear and readable introduction to building healthier relationships through better communication.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-73391-921-0
Page Count: 63
Publisher: Time Tunnel Media
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2019
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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