Families and How to Survive Them

by John Cleese and Robin Skynner

Book Overview

Written in an unconventional dialogue form, this book explores the inner workings of the modern family, and the interactions between couples and their children.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195204662
• ISBN13: 9780195204667
• Release Date: November 1984
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.9" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Laugh at yourself - then understand!

This book was recommended to us by a psychotherapist when we came to discuss family problems. It was a great help through the first few weeks of therapy - and progress followed rapidly. Psychoanalysis never had such a coherent explanation!And the voice of John Cleese makes a great delivery for the info. Bravo!

Great, with one health warning

Very helpful book for understanding the mysteries of family dynamics, how they contribute to making you what you are, and how you are passing them on. Dialogue style is very different, (they recap at the end of every chapter), but this saves the text from become dry. Health warning?-beware using this book as fuel for blaming your parents/family for everything that's wrong with you! We all go through that stage, but the real value here is self-awareness that can be then be used to take control of your own life going forward.

Why didn't anyone tell me about all that before?

This book is one of the rare "ha" books out there! No stupid little behavioral reciepes like "look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how much yourself". Yet very clearly explained observations about how one grows up to fit in a family pattern and to reproduce it in adult life. And John Cleese's humour makes it fun to read... Definitely a keeper for anyone not happy with their life and actively trying to change for the better...

Excellant

Provides a valuable insight into the world of families and the roles that people play. Both very interesting and informative

it's an eye-opener

The book definitely gave me more of an understanding about human beings. It very clearly addresses the fact that children are not just little people ---unless the grown-ups you know are stuck in some early stage developmental quagmire. I really like the cartoons--they made me laugh aloud-- and John Cleese's sense of humor. I recommend the book as a primer for becomming more adult and for developing more understanding yourself and your choices.