Rating: 
Summary: Complicates everything further
Review: John Bradshaw's "Family", "Healing the Shame that Binds You" and "Homecoming" changed my life. The first showed me where I came from and how I got to be the way I was. It gave me understanding, and the knowledge that I wasn't crazy and hopeless. I was taught to be that way. The second book helped me to identify the specific ways it all happened, to remember it, and then it gave me hope that I could unlearn it all and be retrained. I could learn ways to change things to make things better. The third book gave me direction, and tools to correct my behaviors and dysfunctional behaviors, and the ability to change my life. To really heal, without fear. Now years later, I am happy and doing very well. I whole-heartedly recommend these three books to anyone that is having any relationship problems or childhood issues, any type of addiction or codependent issues, feelings of inadequacy, insecurity or loss of self esteem. In these books, there is knowledge that will heal you, there is hope to change, there is courage to gain and there is a better life. My gratitude to you, Mr. John Bradshaw! CE
Rating: 
Summary: Homecoming by John Bradshaw
Review: John Bradshaw's "Family", "Healing the Shame that Binds You" and "Homecoming" changed my life. The first showed me where I came from and how I got to be the way I was. It gave me understanding, and the knowledge that I wasn't crazy and hopeless. I was taught to be that way. The second book helped me to identify the specific ways it all happened, to remember it, and then it gave me hope that I could unlearn it all and be retrained. I could learn ways to change things to make things better. The third book gave me direction, and tools to correct my behaviors and dysfunctional behaviors, and the ability to change my life. To really heal, without fear. Now years later, I am happy and doing very well. I whole-heartedly recommend these three books to anyone that is having any relationship problems or childhood issues, any type of addiction or codependent issues, feelings of inadequacy, insecurity or loss of self esteem. In these books, there is knowledge that will heal you, there is hope to change, there is courage to gain and there is a better life. My gratitude to you, Mr. John Bradshaw! CE
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Summary: A Spiritual Father is Found
Review: Lifesaving words for which I will be ever grateful. This should be required reading for every parent, future and past, and teachers as well. I know my students appreciate my having read this book. I've taught early childhood for fifteen years, and I believe this should be a required book for all education students.Thanks John Bradshaw!
Rating:
Summary: The Wonder Child in me was hiding behind the closet door
Review: The 1,000 word limit for this review does not allow enough space to say all that I would say about this book, and more particularly, what it did for me, and could do for you. There really is a Wonder Child in all of us. The more damaged we are, the more opportunity for the magnitude of the emerging of that Wonder Child in reading and embracing this book. For years, in fact all of my adolescent and young adult life, I knew something was not right, I just could not put my finger on it. I wondered why I would "act up" in professional environments and "lose it" just on the edge of success. This book answered all those questions and guided me to restoration of my "self". John brings home the essence of what we need as toddlers and adolescents. He spells it out simply as Love, Guidance, and Permission along with a few other very fundamental needs of children. He makes it very clear as to the damage caused by emotional and physical abuse, over-protection, under-guidance, abandonment and other acts that parents do not even realise are occurring. The realization of these as issues, and the guidance to work these age-old and often subconsciously buried issues to closure, is the key to ones "self". With all due respect to other reviewers, this is a book that can not simply be read. It must be practiced and lived. Having gone to several seminars and workshops of John Bradshaws', I slowly saw the Wonder Child emerge. Since reading this book and doing the work for a year (don't get me wrong it does not end there) I have gone from 20 years as a white collar worker in my career, being constrained by dysfunctions, to a top consultant in my field. Only because of this book and the discoveries that it led me to in order to free my "self". And for those who claim that this type of work is herecy, WRONG... I have also become a better Christian as a result of the outcome. Read it. Be prepared for emotions when you do, but.... read it.
Rating:
Summary: A superb groundwork for discovering your inner child.
Review: The author describes with great clarity how to help heal the wounded child within us. He details the child's developmental stages from birth through adulthood and describes how we come to abandon who we are when confronted with a dysfunctional family setting. Several questionaires and exercises guide you to your destination. Instructions are given for working alone, with a partner, or with a group. I suggest reading through the book once and starting the work when rereading. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking at the end
Review: The book starts out great but by the time the books gets to the championing portion, gone are the wonderful further explanations that existed earlier in the book. Sub-sections get only terse coverage with very little supporting helpful information. Unlike the rest of the book, every chapter of the championing section left me wanting more. It is as if the author lost energy for the last part of the book or has to cut material to make a publisher happy. Would be four stars if not for the weak championing section.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting and adventurous
Review: The characters of this book are Dicey, Meybeth, Sammy, James, and the Family of those characters. The book is about the four characters Dicey, Meybeth, Sammy, and James. The story takes place in Bridgeport and Crisfield, CT. It mostly takes place in CT. The story takes place in the summer and early falls. The story ends with the children being happy. The Children lives with their Grandma at the end too. They got to this point by keeping on going and trying. I would recommend this book because it was very exciting and adventurous. It has everything you want in a book if you have the right mind. Right mind being a person with good taste for books.
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Summary: I highly reccomend this book
Review: This book gives great insight on how to deal with the problems of dysfunctional families and the way yo start finding a way to deal with the problems of it. It tells chapter by chapter how to live a better life. I believe it will help many who have come from dysfunctional families.
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Summary: The Only Book You Need To Read
Review: This book sat in my bookshelf for 6 months before I read it. When I finally picked it up, I felt John Bradshaw was writing all about me. Once I'd completed this book I wondered why John Bradshaw is not running the world. As you're reading the book you realise it is not a "self-help" book, it is a workbook which will change you forever. I recommend reading the first two sections of the book, skipping the exercises, and then go back and thoroughly read, doing the exercises in the exact order he recommends. I think everyone should read this book, whether they are from a dysfunctional family or not. If you are from a dysfunctional family, and are sick of feeling empty, confused, angry, this book is for you! You will wish you'd discovered it years ago! Well done John Bradshaw!
Rating:
Summary: Lacking at the end
Review: To accept our vulnerability is to be courageous. Bradshaw himself had a lot of emotional pain and he has figured out that by being honest about our feelings, it is possible to resolve past emotional pain! The concept itself is not new - in some cultures such as that in the Indian tradition, to grieve over our losses is considered very important. A prime example is the mourning that occurs after the death of a dear one. The family cries and cries along with friends and relatives, sometimes for days on end. After reading Bradshaw's book, practicing his techniques, and experiencing a sense of empowerment and emotional growth, I can fully appreciate this tradition of nursing grief, brought to us from our forefathers. Just like the body is capable of healing a physical wound by itself - all we need to do is protect the wound from being hurt again, take some precautions, etc, thank God that the mind is capable of healing emotional wounds by itself - otherwise there would be no sane people in this world. Today's (modern?) life doesn't permit us to provide this mind an environment conducive to healing, unless we are deliberate. Bradshaw gives us techniques which will help us and our loved ones for the rest of our lives. Thanks to Bradshaw and others like him, I now thoroughly know the value of nursing grief, and by implication the emotion distress we can cause our children and relatives by our improper behaviour. Bradshaw is a gift to humanity.
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