Rezension zu Rache
The Journal of American Psychoanalytic Association. 2010 58. 175-178
Rezension von Dr. Marion Oliner
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»They have visited Ruanda after the genocide and have studied the
effects of the hostility against foreigners in their own country as
well the effects of extreme traumatization. In addition, their work
with couples has confronted them with the same ubiquitous motto
»don’t get mad, get even«. The book is divided into three major
topics: 1. Vengeance and its causes. 2. Acts of revenge. 3.
Renunciation of the recourse to revenge.
In the first section the authors state as their goal to describe
the general mechanisms of revenge, omitting therefore the
differences that exist in its specific manifestations. Instead they
aim at elaborating clearly the patterns by means of descriptions of
tragic phenomena in politics, in groups, and in extreme situations
such as persecution or genocide. These are made more vivid and
accessible by the illustrations the authors provide of familiar
situations and day to day relationships.«
»The book is an important contribution for the understanding of
revenge whereever it manifests itself: on the playground, in the
relationships of couples, in sexuality, the reaction to the
Holocaust, and many more contemporary problems, unfortunately too
numerous to mention. In addition it addresses the toll it takes on
the therapist who takes on the task of helping those embroiled in
the spiral of revenge. I hope that this brief review does justice
to its rich content«.