BOOK REVIEWS 307

Counselling Ibung People. Ellen IVoonan. London: Methuen, 1983. Pp. 157. E4.95.

This is a useful little book, packed with information and sound advice, well illustrated

with illuminating case material. As a text book of psychoanalytic-type counselling for students in training, and as a handbook for those already practising counselling

within this framework, at whatever level, it could prove invaluable. The failure to make the theoretical standpoint clear in the title page might be offputting to some

readers of a different orientation: this would be unfortuante because the book contains a great deal which is vahtable to counsellors of all persuasions.

Concepts such as “transition” involving a form of mourning as applied to adolescents, and “authority and responsibilitv” as applied to their counsellors, have

significance for all of us. The theory underlying such issues is presented throughout in straightforward and relatively non-technical language. The significance of

language itself as a tool of counselling is given a whole chapter, as is, very fruitfully,

the importance of relationships with the institutions in which counsellors work. Some of the more sweeping claims such as (pp. r-11) “Parent-child conflict is

inevitable . . .” and “If parents refuse to contend . the result for the child is

catastrophic” might strike those who work, or live, with adolescents as somewhat

extreme. It would be a pity, however, if these categorical statements deterred anyone

from following the argument through. The chapter on adolescence is, in fact, penetrating and illuminating and, as with those on theory and diagnosis, well worth examining in detail for the essentially practical nature of the contents.

The writer is herself a practising counsellor who has also been involved for many

years in counsellor training; and her considerable knowledge, skill and experience

have been put to good use in a book which can be thoroughly recommended to other

practising counsellors. Eileen M. Chandler

Topics in .Jdolescent Jfedicine. Robert B. Shearin (Ed.). Chicago and London:

Yearbook Medical Publishers, 1983. Pp. 308. No price quoted.

The Yearbooks are annual compilations of summaries of selected articles from the

specialist medical literature. Their distinguishing feature is the brief idiosyncratic

commentary that follows many of the summaries and the series is aimed at doctors. This book is a further refinement, it presents a cross-sectional selection of

summaries and commentaries relevant to adolescents from the 1982-83 Yearbooks.

Most of the articles were originally published in 198-81; I counted only ten from 1982, and one of these was included twice (King et al. on pseudo-seizures). Given

this interval, Topics in Adolescent Medicine is unsuitable as an update on particular medical problems, but the reader might look here for an overview of research directions in less familiar areas, for example the hard side of pregnancy and sexuality; and if you have ever wondered what was going on in adolescent dentistry three years

ago, this is the book for you. Michael Prendergast