Verstehen - Lerrnen, 29. September 2004

Im "Familienurlaub" (Urlaub von der Familie) gelsen - und auch wenn das Buch zwanzig Jahre auf dem Buckel hat,es erscheint immer noch lehrreich und bekräftigend. Also: Verstehen - Erkennen - und Gute-Vorsätze-fassen. Was will man mehr? Empfehlenswert.

       Why didn't anyone tell me about all that before?, 27. Juni 2000

This book is one of the rare "ha" books out there! No stupid little behavioral reciepes like "look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how much yourself". Yet very clearly explained observations about how one grows up to fit in a family pattern and to reproduce it in adult life.

And John Cleese's humour makes it fun to read... Definitely a keeper for anyone not happy with their life and actively trying to change for the better...

      Extremely Interesting., 16. November 1999

Rather than offering solutions to family problems, the book offers interesting insights into how families function.

Particularly the Timberlawn (or was it Timberlake, I don't have my copy handy) Instute's experiments on that unknown, and perhaps no longer unknowable, quantity 'romantic attraction' that gets relationships started was fascinating, as it must be to many perennial singles. In this experiment participants were asked to choose the most likely mate from a room-full of strangers, and, Skynner claims, people of like family back-ground turned out to pick each other.

I was intrigued, but do not buy into the concept without further research. No family is regular; and the idea of 'like family back-ground' is vulnerable to lack of falsifiability - is a deceased parent sufficient to constitute 'like family back-ground'?

Also, real life knows many one-sided attractions, where these spring from, we don't find out.

Nonetheless, research into what constitutes attraction, and how relationships get started (and continue, of course), are as important a contribution to human happiness as can be conceived, and Cleese's sense of humor makes it all digestible.

       Excellant, 6. Juni 1999

Provides a valuable insight into the world of families and the roles that people play. Both very interesting and informative

       it's an eye-opener, 28. Dezember 1998

The book definitely gave me more of an understanding about human beings. It very clearly addresses the fact that children are not just little people ---unless the grown-ups you know are stuck in some early stage developmental quagmire. I really like the cartoons--they made me laugh aloud-- and John Cleese's sense of humor. I recommend the book as a primer for becomming more adult and for developing more understanding yourself and your choices.