From Rage to Courage

August 3, 2009
Noted Swiss-based psychotherapist Miller (The Drama of the Gifted Child
) again addresses the psychological and physical legacy of child abuse in these several hundred responses to readers' letters. But her book is weighed down by organizational problems, primarily in that the original letters don't appear here for reasons of privacy (some letters do appear on Miller's Web site). This omission leaves many of the responses sounding bland, without context and in some cases largely incomprehensible. For example, a two-sentence response begins, “I am really happy that you understand me so well and that you are able to learn so much from your child.” leaving the reader in the dark about what Miller is referring to. In addition, the letters run chronologically, rather than topically, so that issues are addressed randomly and repetitively. Finally, the responses are too brief to provide any depth. There are some valuable insights, such as “It is very cruel to leave distressed children alone, for what they most need then is the warm presence of a loving person.” But this frustratingly limited work adds little to Miller's previous writings.

September 1, 2009
Aiming to demonstrate the immense emotional and social impact of what she calls cruel parenting, child psychotherapist and best-selling author Miller has compiled her answers to hundreds of letters from patients addressing a variety of childhood physical and psychological abuses. Miller's answers are typically no longer than a paragraph, and readers may find them challenging to read without the context of the original letters, which are available only online at www.alice-miller.com/readersmail_en. In addition, Miller often refers to her other books, so libraries considering purchasing this book may also want to be sure to have "The Drama of the Gifted Child" and "The Truth Will Set You Free", which are referenced most often. VERDICT Readers who have followed Miller's work as well as professionals and students in the fields of social work, counseling, or psychology may find this book useful.John Siegel, Univ. of Arkansas Lib., Little Rock

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