Becoming Attached: First Relationships and How They Shape Our Capacity to Love

If you are just interested in learning the nuts and bolts of attachment quickly, this book isn't for you. This book is partially a biography and history book. It discusses the lives of the people responsible for creating and evolving the attachment discipline, and it discusses the history of major developments in the ever-evolving theoretical framework. What it doesn't do, however, is go deep into the actual substance of the body of accepted attachment theory. You will get a pretty good sense of the existing theory, but mostly you will understand more about how the theories came about more than what the theories actually are. The second half of the book is better regarding explaining attachment theory's actual tenets, especially the appendix, and there is a bibliography that has a lot of suggested books and studies for learning more. However if one's quest is to develop a full, working knowledge of attachment theory you may want to get supplementing books.

If you love someone that has a troubled past and they are interested in reconciling or you think you could help them, this is a great book. This book is not just for people with a "troubled" past, however. It is a book that explains why we act the way we are, why we treat other people certain way or why we are even attracted to certain personalities.It also explains why early childhood is so crucial. From depression, to different habits, this book gives you an understanding of what determines certain behaviors in our lives.It is truly a shame that there are so many selfish and careless parents out there. If you're going to have a kid you and your partner need to agree to stick around and provide a solid and stable home for at least 10-15 years. If you are unsure about that, don't have a KID! I am convinced that we have so many screwed up people in the world (or a big majority) because of situations similar to the ones presented in this book.Enough ranting. If you or a loved one wants to understand themselves, understand why they are the way they are, this book is for you. You can't become the person you want to be or can be, if you don't reconcile with the person you were raised to be.

This is a phenomenal book about attachment, attachment theory, John Bowlby, and the history leading up to and throughout his career. It's very well written, very through, explains complex psychology in a way that makes sense, and frankly I wish I'd had it in graduate school. I'd recommend this to anyone whether you're a professional, or someone who is just wishing to understand yourself and your relationships with people better.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and love this book. A great read, scientific and practical. Great book about how our understanding of human attachment has matured over the past century. Packed with information about how we develop our capacity to attach, to love, to live in society, supported with scientific research. Great information for proper parenting of infants. Ainsworth conducted studies measuring infant attachment, from securely attached to avoidant. The mothers who responded quickly and warmly to their babies cries during the early months of life tended to have securely attached babies at the end of the first year, and the babies cried less. Thank you, Dr. Karen, for advocacy of of a simple, warm parenting style, which is backed by research. So strange that there are so many parenting books out there based on personal opinion, and that we have gotten away from simple warm parenting, which is modeled in more communal cultures.

This book is deep and chocked full of so much vital information in the key and critical aspect for becoming a parent who "knows" what their baby wants in all situations. I have heard many times from different parents, "If I could just figure out what's wrong with this baby, I'd do something to keep her from crying." Parents and babies who are ATTACHED have learned "what the baby wants or needs" by being consistent and available and allow that instinct to kick in, as it were. There is much communication coming from extremely young infants, and if a parent is willing to listen and learn what is going on, the parent/child bond becomes very deeply entwined . . . the relationship is off to a rousing good start! These early months are critical for esteem-building and personality-forming structures, and this type of read could help all parents immensely in the manner in which the child views themselves and how they fit into the world.

Extremely well-written book in that it is easily understood by the lay person, yet gracefully expresses complex ideas and processes, and is such a complete overview of attachment theory as to be of as much use to the professional as the lay person.Attachment theory addresses child development in terms of whether or not there is a loving attachment to a parental figure. Through following the history of the development of attachment theory the author explains the theory, the evidence supporting it, and the effects upon the individual.While supportive of attachment theory, Karen is careful to explain the views of its critics, and to show how those criticisms often improved the theory.I am not a psychologist, but someone with Borderline Personality Disorder trying to make sense of my life in order to improve it. Karen's work helped me enormously. His scientific orientation to provide good theory grounded in reseach and evidence is fused with his warm humanity and concern for individuals and society.Therefore I recommend the book to professional psychologists, teachers, makers of public policy, and others who deal with children. But also I recommend it highly to those on the quest for self-understanding.

If you are considering psychodynamics or psychoanalytical studies then this is a really good read. Even if you just want to understand what makes us who we are then this is the book for you.

This book was a pleasure to read. It covers a lot of academic material but is never heavy or hard to follow. I loved the writing style and feel I have a good insight into the subject following reading.

good book and a necessary read for anyone working with children

Not a difficult book to read, which is a bonus when reading a book recommended on a course. Still reading but it's well written so no hardship.

Excellent book.