BOOK LIST
BOOK LIST
Below is a short list of books on topics related to developmental
psychology across the lifespan. Each treats in depth a topic which is only
covered slightly in the textbook. As this is a general course, it is only
possible to cover most subjects superficially. This is your chance to get
a little more information on such topics as intimate relationships, adolescent
suicide. child abuse, domestic violence, etc.
THIS IS WHAT THE AUTHOR SAID ABOUT IT:
-- complex data about relationships, and an emotional
workout for those who find themselves frequently insecure in love. Disavowing
simple answers, the reader is urged to take a deeper look into his or her
own needs and patterns in love, and at the family roots of these patterns.
See the web site, below, for additional information about the book, including
reviews.
http://www.mv.com/biz/hindvond/about.html
If you can’t get it through interlibrary loan or at your
local library, it is about $6 from amazon.com
and they will usually get a book to you within a week.
This is the book that has gotten the highest ratings from students over previous semesters. I have read it (in fact, I have read all of these books) and it is very good.
This book is quite long, but interesting. Terkel is a sociologist, and his research is more descriptive than developmental, but it is good if you would like to look at adult development from a little different perspective. Below is a review of the book I copied from amazon.com. This is another book that a lot of libraries have, and you can also buy it new for $13. (I bought my copy used for two!).
goitz@aol.com from Los Altos Hills, CA , April 8, 1998
Fascinating look at what we do with the bulk of our time Working
profiles the working lives of scores of Americans. From prostitute to chief
executive, coal mine worker to major league ballplayer- a myriad of professions
are covered. The book reads like a documentary (which it is). Terkel has
included the most interesting aspects of each case study's working life,
and ultimately you see why each continues to pursue their career in that
chosen field- or at least what satisfaction they get from showing up everyday.
It's a great book to pick up and spend 5 to 10 minutes or so reading about
how someone else's working life has parallels to your own. The interviews
were conducted mostly during the late 60's and early 70's but while it
is slightly dated, even that fact makes for an interesting historical perspective.
This book is good for someone who is thinking of
becoming a psychologist. It follows one man’s work with one patient, a
child named Laura. At the beginning of the book, Laura’s schizophrenic
parents are frying her on the stove when the police break in. They take
the baby to the hospital and her parents to a mental institution. The book
then picks up nine years later when her therapy begins. If you can’t find
it in the library, it is another one you can order for about six dollars.
Short, hard to put down. I have never met anyone who read this book who thought it was too hard to read, boring or easy to forget.
A BRIEF BOOK REVIEW OFF AMAZON: by Diane N. Selino
--- Inspiring Dave Pelzer shares with the world his remarkable story of
a child's will to survive a severely mentally and physically abusive alcoholic
mother. This captivating story reveals one child's ability to develop coping
skills which allow him to survive. It was so obvious that this child was
being abused and neglected, why did it take over five years for someone
to help him? This is a definite must read for anyone who works with children
as an educational tool, a public awareness if you will, of what the lives
of some children are. Also, an excellent inspirational, self help book
for anyone who has endured such a situation. You are not alone!
This is a relatively short, classic book in psychology.
One of the chapters discusses Erikson’s research on the Standing Rock Sioux.
He lived on or near the Standing Rock Reservation for a few months, and
based some of his theory on this experience. It is only fair warning to
say that some Native American students who have read this for class in
the past concluded that Erikson was an idiot. I do like the chapter on
the 8 ages of man, personally.
This is the story of an abused wife. It is out of print but is available at many libraries. I listed it because in years past it has been the book that students rated second highest of all of the ones they read.
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