Soul Murder: The Effects of Childhood Abuse and Deprivation

by Leonard Shengold

Book Overview

To abuse or neglect a child, to deprive the child of his or her own identity and ability to experience joy in life, is to commit soul murder. Soul murder is the perpetration of brutal or subtle acts against children that result in their emotional bondage to the abuser and, finally, in their psychic and spiritual annihilation. In this compelling, disturbing, and superbly readable book, Dr. Leonard Shengold, clinical professor of psychiatry at the New...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0449905497
• ISBN13: 9780449905494
• Release Date: March 1991
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Excellent insight into the damaging abuse process

This is a landmark book, many papers written based upon this book are now famous. For those well read in child abuse psychopathology, this book explains how and to what extent the damage is done to children of abuse. The Title speaks volumes: Soul murder...what more can be said? This is indispensible for therapists, parents of damaged children and adult survivors of child abuse.

a map of the badlands

I've read this book several times, and find it very useful to understand and to undo the effects of trauma. Shengold speaks to me personally as the one-time member of an abusive family, and professionally as a psychoanalyst who works with people who have been abused. This book is painful to read at times, and is probably better read in small sections at a time, so that it can be felt and digested.