The Drama of the Gifted Child

The Search for the True Self

By: Alice Miller

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

This best-selling book examines childhood trauma and the enduring effects it has on an individual's management of repressed anger and pain.

Why are many of the most successful people plagued by feelings of emptiness and alienation? This wise and profound book has provided millions of people with an answer—and has helped them to apply it to their own lives.

Far too many of us had to learn as children to hide our own feelings, needs, and memories skillfully in order to meet our parents' expectations and win their "love". Alice Miller writes, "When I used the word 'gifted' in the title, I had in mind neither children who receive high grades in school nor children talented in a special way. I simply meant all of us who have survived an abusive childhood thanks to an ability to adapt even to unspeakable cruelty by becoming numb.... Without this 'gift' offered us by nature, we would not have survived."

But merely surviving is not enough. The Drama of the Gifted Child helps us to reclaim our life by discovering our own crucial needs and our own truth.

©1997 Basic Books (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Rare and compelling in its compassion and its unassuming eloquence...her examples are so vivid and so ordinary they touch the hurt child in us all."—The New York Magazine

"An unpretentious little book with an amazing impact...Many readers find themselves portrayed with an accuracy and empathy that seem uncanny, as if the author had been a silent, unseen witness to their childhood [and] their innermost and secret selves."—Vogue

"Full of wisdom and perception."—The New Republic

Insightful

The narrators voice and inflection was somewhat off putting. But the depth and helpfulness of the material of the book should not be overlooked for that

True info regarding our Healing

I read this book 25 years ago again 15 years ago and just listen to it again on audible.

I suffered horrible trauma from violent alcoholic rages by my father from the time I was seven until I left home at 15 1/2.

Thanks to Dr. Dan Lyles at American River Junior College when I was 22, he gave me the the therapy that began my healing journey. Thanks to Dr. Lyles helping me get in touch with my buried feelings and waking up with my intuition in my feelings intact I was able to continue my personal growth journey that wasn't easy: thanks to Alice Miller and other Authors who told the truth like Alice does help me very much.

I have had a rich and productive life after I did the hard work of dealing with all those painful feelings.

I would do it again and again and again . Thank you Alice!

Amazing

Alice is a genius and helped an entire generation of people to overcome not receiving love

More Drama from a gifted child

Definitely need to be in the right headspace to come to terms with where this book takes you. Alice miller makes you think

Insightful and educational

I loved this book and thought it was very helpful. I found it very easy to understand and enjoyed listening to it in Audible.
It’s a great book to own and read as well.

I hypnotherapist I can use this in my practice. Awesome. This is useful for my life and my children’s life is well my children and family

Life-changing

Incredible, mind-blowing, life-changing. Gets right to the point. Going to listen again because the material is packed with fascinating information

fantastic book

This is a really great book, especially for anyone studying psychology. It is a must read

Refreshing.

Healing and therapy. Makes me feel like I'm not alone. I hope it heals others.

Alexa?

I enjoyed the book itself, but I had to repeatedly convince myself not to turn it off during the first 10 minutes because of the monotonous voice of the reader. Did they have Alexa read it? Otherwise insightful and slightly disturbing during the parts on sexual abuse.