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A review by explodinghead
Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Judith Lewis Herman
4.0
For anyone interested in trauma or post-traumatic stress, this book is a must-read. If you are a student of clinical psychology, interested in abused populations, this book is a must-read. If you are a practicing clinician, this book is a must read.
TRAUMA AND RECOVERY may as well be the definitive text on the subject. Or, at least for now. Originally released in the '90s, the book has held up terrifically to new research in the field. Herman's writing is very clear and striking, and she often states the situation as it is rather than dress it up for the reader. For that reason, the book can be tough to read at times. However, Herman does an incredible job synthesizing the current data and transmuting into something that is simple to understand. The amount of research she's done is startling.
But here's my complaint: the majority of the research is in the "TRAUMA" half of the book. Defining the abuse, outlining is symptomology, Herman backs up nearly every sentence with an endnote to her sources. However, as the book progresses, these endnotes become more scarce, and Herman relies much more on case studies and survivor's narratives. This comes at a time when Herman also moves beyond her data and discusses slightly more philosophical matters. This shouldn't deter you from what is erstwhile an incredible book, however. If you don't come away changed after reading this in some way, you've done it wrong.
TRAUMA AND RECOVERY may as well be the definitive text on the subject. Or, at least for now. Originally released in the '90s, the book has held up terrifically to new research in the field. Herman's writing is very clear and striking, and she often states the situation as it is rather than dress it up for the reader. For that reason, the book can be tough to read at times. However, Herman does an incredible job synthesizing the current data and transmuting into something that is simple to understand. The amount of research she's done is startling.
But here's my complaint: the majority of the research is in the "TRAUMA" half of the book. Defining the abuse, outlining is symptomology, Herman backs up nearly every sentence with an endnote to her sources. However, as the book progresses, these endnotes become more scarce, and Herman relies much more on case studies and survivor's narratives. This comes at a time when Herman also moves beyond her data and discusses slightly more philosophical matters. This shouldn't deter you from what is erstwhile an incredible book, however. If you don't come away changed after reading this in some way, you've done it wrong.