Rating: 
Summary: A Credible and Informed Second Opinion
Review: As many parents and child-care professionals already know, children who feel deeply apathetic or contemptuous towards themselves often engage in excessive wishing and pretending to be someone or something else. According to Dr. Nicolosi, this same unhealthy pattern is at work when a boy rejects who he really is, namely a boy, and strives to be something he is not, namely a girl. If left untreated, these children have a much higher than normal risk of becoming gay, bisexual or transsexual in later life. The authors' recommendations in such cases are not new. For decades, a variety of other books on parenting and child development have been saying essentially the same thing. By making positive and loving adjustments to a child's home and social environments, parents can help children learn to accept, appreciate and respect all aspects of themselves, including their innate biology. Opposition to Dr. Nicolosi's advice, though intense and widespread, seems more emotive than substantive, and seems more concerned about adult homosexuality than a child's best interest. The Nicolosis present considerable data from a variety of sources showing that gender esteem, and harmony between one's psychology and physiology, are highly beneficial to a child's long-term happiness, well being and mental health. Though understandably offensive to some, this book is well researched, scientifically credible and worthy of careful consideration.
Rating: 
Summary: Well intended but disturbing in content. Avoid!
Review: Such a difficult subject for so many is hardly going to attract objectivity. While the author may have genuine good intentions, he unfortunately openely expresses beliefs that the scientific community have long since dispelled. Such a book could be potentially effective, since it is generally accepted that the cause of homsexuality is partially related to ones upbringing. Unfortunately this book is not the case, its flight from any semblance of scientific fact perhaps makes it better suited in the fiction section of most bookstores.Perhaps it should be considered that the author of the book is in charge of NARTH, the only professional scientific organization that believes homosexuality can be "cured" through reparative therapy, something nearly all the large mental health organizations have openely and repeatedly described as "completely ineffective and potentially harmful". In short, the book holds merit in its intended purpose, but is quite abhorrent in how it deals with the matter. The author is an example of someone who has ignored scientific fact to sustain incorrect, disturbing and potentially harmful personal beliefs.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended! More people should read this book
Review: Unlike some who posted here I actually bought and read the book. A lot of the information in this book described me with so much clarity it made me a bit uncomfortable. It was not an easy book to read, but I am very glad I read it. A certain amount of maturity is needed to accept what this book has to say. Those who put the names of people like Hitler in their review obviously do not know what they are talking about. Many of the people who gave this book a single star didn't even try to talk about the books' content. But I can easily understand why it might upset some people. The author sometimes takes personal stories from gay people and then draws his own very different conclusions. In doing this it can appear that he is using the words of gays against themselves. But I am not convinced that Dr. Nicolosi's interpretations of the stories are any less valid. In fact, most of his reasoning made a lot of sense to me. I suspect it will make sense to many others also. This book has many descriptions of the type of boy who Dr. Nicolosi says is most likely to become a gay man. Especially as a child, I too sometimes retreated into the fantasy that I was not really male because it felt good temporarily. But in hindsight I can see how it caused many more problems than it solved and kept me from becoming comfortable with other boys of my age. Because I felt and acted inadequate as a male I suffered the rejection of my peers. As the author says, a man may not think he is a male but his anatomy says something very different. The author believes in providing a firm and traditional masculine identity for boys who are lacking such a role model. It is really rather difficult to understand why anyone would be opposed to that unless they have unresolved masculinity issues of their own. I would have been fine with me if the author spent a little less time discussing politics and more time attempting to help. The help provided tends to repeat a few key themes and provides many examples with slight variations. Overall I think he did a very good job of backing up his views. Behaviors and thoughts are not easy to change, and repetition is required. From my own experience I agree that change is possible. It is empowering to know that I do have control over how I choose to act and how I live my life. I was not expecting any quick fixes, and the author is wise not to make unrealistic claims. This is a very well documented book with numerous footnotes. Psychology is not a hard science and it does not bother me a bit that he can't provide empirical evidence for every statement. I think he makes a very convincing argument for those like myself who want to listen. Those who are already biased against Christians or others with traditional values need not bother to read. For some people it seems that sexual orientation is more important than religion and personal values. There are people who may never be able to understand or accept what Dr. Nicolosi says. I am glad not to be one of them.
Rating:
Summary: Hold your nose, this book is a stinker!
Review: This book is nothing but conservative politics pretending to be science. If you want actual information on homosexuality and children, this is NOT the place to look.
Rating: 
Summary: As a physician reading this
Review: As a physician reading this book, one of the striking things about it is the lack of knowledge, or possibly purposeful misleading, in Dr. Nicolosi's arguments. I read this book with a rather open mind in trying to write on the subject of alternative therapies, and was very disappointed. Dr. Nicolosi has either a completely clouded world view... that discounts science, or deliberately misleads the uneducated reader into denying current accepted thought and practice in medicine and psychiatry (not to mention science). While I would grant that he seems to have some well meaning intentions (in his world view), I would argue that his method would probably do more harm than good, as the success rate (which I do not believe is ever quoted in the book) of his therapy is undoubtedly low, and he offers no acceptance model if "therapeutic failure" results. ...
Rating:
Summary: A Welcome Addition that Will Be Appreciated by Many Parents
Review: Many parents have been waiting for this book for years so that they can better understand the dynamics of this lifestyle. It will widen the debate and be helpful to many.
Rating:
Summary: Negative one billion stars
Review: Saying that "homosexuality is a condition that can be cured" is as far-fetched as saying being black is a condition that can be cured as well. Perhaps parents of black children should raise their kids as other white folks raise their own kids so that eventually, the black kid will become white, and thus the process of racial assimilation will be completed. I am sure Nicolosi wouldn't mind the royalties he would receive from writing "How to raise your black kids to be white." In effect, Nicolosi's dream of ethnic purity will become reality. I am sure Nicolosi can blame most of his personal problems on homosexuality. Hey you know what's even more funny? I seem to be getting deja vu from reading Adolph Hitler's Mein Kampf. Both Hitler and Nicolosi share the same views on society. I can't wait to see Nicolosi share the same grave as Hitler and Stalin.
Rating:
Summary: Helpful counsel in the sea of political correctness
Review: Science and religion do clash in this domain, but the "religion" is the lobby that would have us believe that homosexuality is a given, like the color of one's hair - and not an amazingly complex behavior that is highly dependent on the early years. Since this catechism is now taught in the schools and promoted on virtually all popular media, the tools provided to parents are welcomed, and useful. This is a beginning, and NARTH should be commended for their efforts.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe well-intentioned, but a doctrine of separation
Review: Always a risky foray into the emotional battlefield where combatants are almost always labeled anti- or pro-gay. The very title of this supposed self-help road map proceeds from what it says it can do: "prevent" homosexuality. That in mind, don't expect to hear the other side because that's not the purpose of this book. Thus, venture forward forewarned. In the theory of the book's authors, Joseph and Linda Nicolosi, being gay can be avoided by making sure the kids are bonding with their same-sex parent. Boys seem to be targeted here, and there's virtually no discussion about how to stop girls from "going" lesbian. For the boys, then, make sure they've got a tight bond with their fathers and do the "masculine" things that are dictated by socially accepted gender roles, and they'll be "spared" from homosexuality. The counter-arguments to that ideology are too easy, and few "for's" and "against's" ever make much headway. As such, the main problem with this book isn't what it says, it's what it doesn't say. It isn't honest enough to address the chance of failure and what happens to the parents and their gay child in the likely emotional wreckage to follow. Nor does it speak to the issues unique to bisexual and transgendered persons. And by avoiding these matters, Nicolosi and Nicolosi are advancing (probably unintentionally) an anti-family doctrine that promotes non-diversity, the seperation of the gay child from his parents and relgating the gay person to the status of being someone reviled, rejected and discarded. But, then again, the book's very title clearly indicates that what's ahead is a closed discussion. From that vantage point, then, the parent who is desperate to prevent his child from going gay may find some value here. For the parent who doesn't want to change his child and instead wants to embrace the whole rather than reject the whole based on one characteristic, you won't find any pointers in acceptance here. Get that in another book and venture forward with your gay child in peace and love.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful piece of work
Review: I think that this book was wonderfuly written, I am a student at Oxford University. There are many people who have left the gay community and are hetrosexual and are happy. My own sister was involved with lesbianism for a long time, she is today a mother of 5. I am so happy to have gotten this book to her, she read it and agreed with most of it.The gay people on here who claim to have read this book I am sure have not. they claim to have read it then spew the same line. Thr gay community has reason to be afraid, more people are studying them and coming to different conlusions, and not just religous. Thank you DR.Nicolosi
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