Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain

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Editorial reviews

Virginia Ironside
A wonderful book!

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Review

"Why Love Matters is hugely important. It should be mandatory reading for all parents, teachers and politicians." - The Guardian

"Sue Gerhardt's choice of title reflects the loving attention to detail that is the essence of this book... excellently researched and well-written book which deserves to be widely read by practitioners, researchers and parents." - Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice

"Sue Gerhardt has written a vitally important book - a must-read for every parent, teacher, physician and politician." - Daniel Goleman, author Emotional Intelligence

"I would like to add to that positive view and suggest that this book be on every reading list you offer to new parents, politicians, clients, colleagues, family and friends." - Jeannie Wright, British Journal of  Guidance and Counselling

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Financial Times
refreshing ... No one who reads this excellent book is likely to reproach a parent for "spoiling" a baby.

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Sunday Mirror
This is the book that has irritated a lot of people....The implications of these findings are huge.

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Guardian
In Why Love Matters, Gerhardt has bravely gone where most in recent years have feared to tread.

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Rebecca Abrams, Guardian Saturday Review (Book of the Week)
Why Love Matters is hugely important. It should be mandatory reading for all parents, teachers and politicians.

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Guardian Saturday Review (Book of the Week)
Why Love Matters is hugely important. It should be mandatory reading for all parents, teachers and politicians.

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Saturday Times
If we're nurtured lovingly we thrive emotionally, but if we are neglected we're in trouble, says Sue Gerhardt.

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Telegraph
a new and important book

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Product Description
Why Love Matters is hugely important. It should be mandatory reading for all parents, teachers and politicians." - Rebecca Abrams, in The Guardian, 17th July 2004

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Customer reviews

review by: Gordon Carter date: 2008-03-10 rating:
Why love matters is a conversation starter
Taking the book with me on the bus or at the Waitrose checkout or at the barbers shop or Sussex University its title attracts attention. In the brief encounters which follow I enjoy speaking to parents whose infants obviously enjoy what's going on with the adults. I'm able to affirm that the love care and attention they give the child in those early years do make a difference and will set her up for life. To older people, and I am elderly, I speak of the 'forgiving space' that Sue Gerhart gives me in which to understand my chequered life. As Kierkegaard said 'Life must be lived foward, but it can only be understood backwards.'

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review by: Acuaroso date: 2008-01-22 rating:
An eye opener
I'm expecting my first baby in Feb-2008. I was looking for books about babies psychology, it's true that there are many things you know by instinct but many others are part of medical research, also important to consider.
I read the reviews of this book and that made me buy it immediately!. I loved it since the beginning, although it gives lots of technical info in the first chapters,I found it important as well, to understand in depth the rest of the book.
It's a great eye opener for all parents, parents to be, teachers and everyone in general, interested to understand babies and human behaviour... to improve our lives and the lifes of our loved ones.
100% recommended.

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review by: CarloNicola date: 2007-12-20 rating:
Rock solid scientific evidence and easy-to-folllow advice
The book is great. It presents many scientific data without being boring or worse incomprehensible for lay-people and it gives plenty of good advice. I myself have a four month old son and I have greatly profited from the book. Many parents who come to visit my wife and me find my son sociable, smiling and happy. In my opinion this book is a must for parents and people who work in nurseries and in general with newborns and small children.

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review by: date: 2007-09-04 rating:
Little bit too technical
I thought this book was good but I found it difficult to read because of all the references to brain chemistry. It is interesting to know how your behaviour towards your baby affects their development, and how it occurs in the brain, but I found there was too much focus on this and not enough focus on how to love your baby in the right way. A lot of people have said it should be a recommended book for all new parents, but I think the 'average' parent would struggle to understand most of the terminology in the book. However, I do feel more knowledgeable now I have read it and will never leave my baby to cry for prolonged periods due to what the book has told me, and now I love my baby as much as I can during the day and I do feel she benefits from it, she is a really happy baby. Perhaps a watered down version of this book should be available to new parents.


review by: date: 2007-07-31 rating:
In depth, thought provoking...
I am a parent and I also work with young children with their parents - and so often I want to express to them how important it is to connect with their children - it simply is not a 'given' that parents will do it. All to often we underestimate the amount of attention children need. Upon reading this book - I have been inspired to be braver and gently encourage greater parental involvement. There is such a a limited 'time window' to make the best connections in our babies' brains. This book is inspiring - I have just purchased another copy to give as a gift.

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