I found out about this book through the bibliography of a parenting book I enjoyed. I almost did not buy it, because I needed no further convincing that corporal punishment was a bad idea. But I decided to buy it anyway, to better help me understand how the way I raised might have influenced the way I think -- I'd identified some connections, but suspected I hadn't found them all. I was right.

Greven pursues the connections between violence against children and depression, dissociation and apocalyptic thinking (all of which resonated with me). And he describes many others as well. Learning the beginnings of these problems does not necessarily solve them entirely, but it helps a lot.

Everyone in our society could benefit from reading this book. It provides a powerful argument against an all too common parenting tactic. It sheds light onto how corporal punishment has far-reaching emotional and psychological effects. And perhaps most important of all, it shows a strong connection between the apocalyptic thinking characteristic of evangelical Christians and the corporal punishment so many of them believe crucial to raising children.

Mr. Greven is very intelligent. He is also very brave. I think this is a must read for every parent. He tells us why it is wrong to hit our children. People hit their children all the time and then they wonder why they turned out so bad. Violence is never the answer. Kids need love, attention and to be guided. I thank Mr. Greven so much for writing this book.

Every Christian should read this book. Watch out though, there is some scary truth in there.
Love, love, love your children with all your heart. They are a true blessing from the Lord.

There are a mere handful of insightful, non-dogmatic, loving authors who understand the vulnerability of children (we, who were children, and those who now are children for awhile), and who can open up for us those feelings which arose in childhood and mold us the rest of our lives. Mr Greven and Alice Miller are the two I admire most. This book is honest, insightful, non-judgemental and enlightening. Do not be afraid to question the wisdom of your forefathers in regards to punishing your children - read this and learn.

This book is a compelling rebuttal to all those who claim that corporal punishment does not harm children. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about how experiences in childhood can and do affect our adult selves.