Bradshaw On: The Family

A New Way of Creating Solid Self-Esteem

By: John Bradshaw

Narrated by: Alan Bomar Jones

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on the public television series of the same name, Bradshaw On: The Family is John Bradshaw's seminal work on the dynamics of families that has sold more than a million copies since its original publication in 1988. Here, you will discover the cause of emotionally impaired families. You will learn how unhealthy rules of behavior are passed down from parents to children, and the destructive effect this process has on our society. Using the latest family research and recovery material in this new edition, Bradshaw also explores the individual in both a family setting and a societal setting. He shows you ways to escape the tyranny of family-reinforced behavior traps---from addiction and co-dependency to loss of will and denial---and demonstrates how to make conscious choices that will transform your life and the lives of your loved ones. He helps you heal yourself and then, using what you have learned, helps you heal your family. Finally, Bradshaw extends this idea to our society: by returning yourself and your family to emotional health, you can heal the world in which you live. He helps you reenvision societal conflicts from the perspective of a global family, and shares with you the power of deep democracy: how the choices you make every day can affect---and improve---your world.

©1988 John Bradshaw, Renewed 1996 by John Bradshaw (P)2011 Tantor

Helpful book; WRONG narrator

The book deals with sensitive emotional issues, which are steamrolled by the narrator's barbaric performance. The number of mispronounced words, additionally, is truly disturbing and profoundly distracts the listener from the content.
Good book and gifted therapist/author--wrong narrator!

Awful narrator

Great book with a really awful narration, I really tried because I'm interested on the subject but couldn't listen to the end. Sounds like he's reading a tv comercial line rather than such a sensitive book.

Speaker puts me to sleep

Very interesting if I could just focus hard to get over the robotic, drab oration. He should pay to have re-recorded by someone with a better voice.

narrator ruined this audiobook. love john bradshaw

the narrator was annoying. love john bradshaw. wish i would have just bought book =/

Not the top Bradshaw book

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

If this is your only Bradshaw listen, maybe you'll get what you need, but I much preferred Healing the Shame that Binds You and the shorter Homecoming. There are also some upsetting family stories in this, so it's pretty heavy subject matter and parts are hard to hear. I don't know if I necessarily needed to hear THAT many tough stories.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Had a more natural and less formal way of speaking.

Everything this man writes is brilliant

It's one of his earlier works and you can tell--but, dang this guy is brilliant.
I have loved every book of his that I have read.

Microsoft Sam has daddy issues

While this book does have some interesting and valuable concepts, I was totally put off by the jarring performance of the narrator. He sounded like Microsoft Sam from 2003 trying to read a poorly formatted word document.

I also had a problem with the overall resolution of Bradshaw's work, as well as the way that he used himself as a primary reference. By the end I was eager to get it over with.

The only reason I would recommend this book to anyone is if they're interested in learning more about the ideas presented in the beginning chapters.

I can't finish listening; poor narration

Would you try another book from John Bradshaw and/or Alan Bomar Jones?

I have listened to other John Bradshaw books and was excited about this one. However, Mr. Jones' narration leaves much to be desired. During the first hour I endured, I felt like he was shouting at me. During the second hour, I began to pick up on his lack of annunciation skills. Overall, I just can't stand to listen to any more of it.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Change the narrator, even have the author read his own work. After listening to other books by John Bradshaw, Alan Jones doesn't seem to have a feel for the cadence of Mr. Bradshaw's writing. His reading style is distracting and makes it difficult to understand the text.

How could the performance have been better?

Choose a different reader. Anyone.

Was Bradshaw On: The Family worth the listening time?

Perhaps if I could have finished listening and didn't feel frustrated by the reading style after each stint.

Bradshaw on Family

What an eye opener book! I learned so much about me and my family. I know understand many things about my thinking and behaviors.

Enlightening

The book took me to many of the situations I came across my life, some that I had not dealt with. Overall it opened my eyes as to how much bad we stored inside and never dealt with it. Unfortunately bad decisions were made for the lack of ignorance, shame, lack of trust, love, and communication.

Not for the faint minded

You will learn bout yourself. Embrace the feeling that the book confronts in you. The're two exits from shame, One door leads to Humanity the great. The other leads to Humanity the lost. Those are my own terms. Do not (in my opinion) listen to this as an acedemic exercise as you will not feel the value.

Self-esteem or God?

The first half of the book is extraordinary. Incredibly informative and quite mind blowing. Helped me understand so much more about my family dynamic and myself. Unfortunately the second half reads more like some sort of religious recruitment text. It would seem that to reclaim your self-esteem, you must first find God. It increasingly sounded to me like the author had managed to give up his alcoholism by becoming a religious fanatic... Which is just another form of addiction. This is not what I expected from this author. Disappointing. But the first half is worth a credit!

I will buy all the books of Bradshaw

Really really good! the author has a very wide and rich understanding in the area

Like it

Like it was very interesting and useful I like the way John Bradshaw explains it