A thoughtful examination of the puzzling behavior of those who persist in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Psychologists Berglas (Clinical Psychology/Harvard Medical School; The Success Syndrome, 1986) and Baumeister (Psychology/Case Western Reserve University; Escaping the Self, 1991) draw on both clinical examples and research findings to explore self-destructive behavior. Locating no single cause of the phenomenon, they view it along a continuum. At one end, there's well-intentioned self-defeating behavior, which involves poor judgment—such as trying too long or too hard. More inimical to happiness is the self-serving kind, which provides immediate- or short-term benefits but potentially greater long-term risks- -such as abusing dangerous drugs. At the far end of the scale lies maliciously intended behavior, in which harm is inflicted on oneself in order to hurt another person—what the authors call ``Pyrrhic revenge.'' Berglas and Baumeister use the actions of prominent figures (Magic Johnson, Jim Bakker, and Leona Helmsley among them) to illustrate typical behavior patterns, and the authors' discussion of choking under pressure will be of special interest to sports fans: Research indicates that the home field can actually be a disadvantage when a team is on the brink of a championship. A few final words touch on minimizing or preventing self-defeating behavior, but no easy solutions are offered. A smooth blend of theory, research, clinical observation, and anecdote.
Pub Date: April 28, 1993
ISBN: 0-465-00099-1
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Basic Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1993
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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