Playing to Lose

By Stewart Bentley

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0778010023
• ISBN13: 9780778010029
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Oberon Pr
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Powerful and moving

Like a first-hand account of life in a war-zone, we are shown a picture from the inside where the fear is palpable and the horror visceral. However, we're not looking through the eyes of a trained soldier but from the perspective of a little boy. And he recounts not only what he sees going on around him, but also what happens to his own small body and how he tries to cope with his experiences. Playing to Lose also shows us the second part of the tragedy of family violence: how the legacy can be carried to the next generation. The little boy we watch fight to survive his childhood grows up to have a family of his own. This is where his struggle really begins, as he battles to stop himself from giving in to his rage and replicating the only patterns of behaviour he has ever known. From a literary perspective, Playing to Lose offers the reader an intimate portrait of an individual living with constant emotional anguish. The narrative effectively engages the reader in the swirling conflicts that comprise his daily existence. Simply trying to live a normal life while keeping his demons at bay is revealed as a struggle of Herculean proportions. From this situation Stewart realizes he must "play to lose" -drive away those he loves to protect them from himself and learn how to heal from his past as a matter of personal responsibility. Playing to Lose is a book everyone should read. For those fortunate enough to lead lives that have not been seriously touched by violence, it will provide insight into the nightmare lived by the survivors of incest and abuse. Others may find comfort in the knowledge that they are not alone. They may be inspired to persevere in their struggle to break the pattern of violence. For social workers, therapists and others whose work is affected by family violence, Playing to Lose can help to strengthen their understanding of the roots of violent behaviour, provide insight into the experiences of both the abused and the abuser, and may even help in the development of appropriate therapeutic strategies. Most importantly, this is a book that can help those touched by violence and abuse to heal. Stewart is not a victim. He is a champion and role model for everyone seeking to gain control of their own life-regardless of their past.