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Rating: 
Summary: A MUST read
Review: First let me begin by saying that I really have enjoyed and learned from Miller's other works. They have been important text's for those of us not in "practice". So it was with high expectations that I purchased Banished Knowledge. After reading the first couple of chapters, I came to the conclusion that this book was more of a polemical text meant for the psychoanalsyst community then it was for the layperson. By the end of the book I was convinced that this was the case. However, I did find nuggets interspersed throughout the book that made the book at least worth reading if not completely satisfactory. If you are interested in purchasing this book with the expectations of, say, Drama of the Gifted Child just be prepared to find the writing written in a tone that seeks an audience not usually intended for her other works.
Rating:
Summary: The challenge that faces us...
Review: I have read Banished Knowledge.
It seems to be best used in conjunction with other books, as it's focus is on showing how saying things are not well (which is the pre-requisite for wanting to change) is not always so warmly received . Examples presented in the book include a television production team tailoring a series on child abuse to be more "protecting" of the adults and a philosphy professor being belittled by psychoanalytic professionals because he shared with them that he learned about himself from Miller's unconvoluted writing (Alice Miller, an established psychoanalyst, possibly in her fifties when she wrote Banished Knowledge, says that some psychoanalytic theories are probably developed to obscure truth and to protect the parents and the status quo from criticism; some of her psychoanalytic peers do not like her saying that), Drama of The Gifted Child And The Search For The True Self, also by Alice Miller, is probably a good single-book choice if a person wanted to get busy with becoming whole.
Rating: 
Summary: Miller is God
Review: If society is seriously interested in declining child abuse it must stop trivializing the fact, read "Banished Knowledge," by Alice Miller, to comprehend the consequences, then proceed and support the need. Then, and only then, will they comprehend that psychologists who try to help are practicing with the limitation of arcane theories, mostly without having personal experience about the subject. In too many cases theories are missing the point and are forcing victims to accept the training of a Ph.D. as salubrious. Two years ago, discouraged and disappointed I ended my twelfth session with a psychologist after she tried different theoretical approaches, when she asked helplessly, "What kind of theory fits you?" In my desperation to relieve the pain of memory I was pressed into obscure methods, declared as the only way or solution. In this kind of approach, again, harm is done. My personal experience with format theories like "one fits all," had lead me to more desperation than healing. Because self censoring psychologists approach child abuse with dogmas, instead of listening for an eventual true lead, they should find individual methods for the painful experience expressed by the victim in a descriptive way. I do not knock the honest attempt of scientific studies, which I trust, someday, will lead to more insight into this human behavior; on the contrary, I urge Psychology to recognize that all scientific approaches are developed by individual minds. In spite of all knowledge available, everything we do has limitations, and the possibilities of errors are influencing the result. We must consider these facts before we imply otherwise and call others wrong. Having experienced verbal, mental, physical and spiritual abuse, molestation, rape, incest and the horror of being sold into slavery as a child, I challenge all researchers to find acceptable new ways with more concern for the abused individual in seeing old methods with more criticism and adopting other new! ly known theories, as Alice Miller has done. Progress or improvement cannot be reached by continually using existing theories of psychological approach, which were by honest observation unsuccessful. Psychology should objectively consider the statements by studied individuals as guidelines, instead of seeking desperately convenient, society- pleasing or self-glorifying solutions, and establishing dogmas which are closing forever doors for future developments or final solutions about this unbalanced human behavior of child abuse. I agree wholeheartedly with Alice Miller's theory described in "Banished Knowledge" for this simple reason, it applies to me.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST read
Review: This is the first book I have read by Alice Miller and the first I've read on childhood abuse. It is written in easy to understand language and gets the point across VERY well. Ms. Miller does make a few statements that are hard to swallow, but she goes on to explain them and certainly doesn't tell you that you HAVE to believe them. This book is a must read for anyone who has suffered any type of childhood abuse.
Rating:
Summary: The TRUTH hurts
Review: Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding... the prophet I checked this book out from the library the words "Banished Knowledge" intrigued me 1990 version. Already knew most of what was written but to have someone else actually write it wow! She had the courage, Thank you! reading Saint Nicholas part made me furious. Furious because I have seen it before in churches, in blackmailing & bribing for behavior, or just plain "because" no reason at all. What makes it worst is that I don't stop them from hurting their child, they usually kill the messenger and don't want to see the truth. The excerpt "The Child Sets Limits" to open eyes gently. That was a great positive side of a book that explores the truth. I cried on page 79 child: "she has no choice but to accept any closeness she is offered rather than be destroyed." I'm grateful for a mother who at least mentioned to me all the mistakes she has done rasing us. And all the mistakes she is making now. Specially saying NO just because she felt like she needed control. She blames herself for anything we "her children do wrong" P.S. I agree with her on the autism and if one is to research for the truth; One would find that many illnesses are because of emotional states. Taboo subjects always makes people angry!
Rating:
Summary: The TRUTH hurts
Review: Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding... the prophet I checked this book out from the library the words "Banished Knowledge" intrigued me 1990 version. Already knew most of what was written but to have someone else actually write it wow! She had the courage, Thank you! reading Saint Nicholas part made me furious. Furious because I have seen it before in churches, in blackmailing & bribing for behavior, or just plain "because" no reason at all. What makes it worst is that I don't stop them from hurting their child, they usually kill the messenger and don't want to see the truth. The excerpt "The Child Sets Limits" to open eyes gently. That was a great positive side of a book that explores the truth. I cried on page 79 child: "she has no choice but to accept any closeness she is offered rather than be destroyed." I'm grateful for a mother who at least mentioned to me all the mistakes she has done rasing us. And all the mistakes she is making now. Specially saying NO just because she felt like she needed control. She blames herself for anything we "her children do wrong" P.S. I agree with her on the autism and if one is to research for the truth; One would find that many illnesses are because of emotional states. Taboo subjects always makes people angry!
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