The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost by Jean LiedloffMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The premise and basic concept of this wonderful book can be life-changing in a very positive, long-term way. To summarise it crudely, the act of being held and physically carried around (by a parent, sibling and/or other carer) as a new born and growing baby can have an incredibly positive and essential influence on our consequential life experience. Conversely, if this stage of development is missed out or reduced (as it is with most of us born into so called 'modern civilization'), this has a detrimental, but not irreparable, effect.
The author explains the concept and how she came to discover it through her experiences with the Yubena tribe in South America. As a piece of anthropological and social research, The Continuum Concept is an amazing yet common sense realisation and most readers will probably find themselves thinking "oh yes, of course" as the book progresses. To give the Concept full justice however, requires (for most of us) a whole new approach to the way we rear our own children, help raise, educate and otherwise interact with children in our community and, perhaps most promisingly, the way we view our own childhood and relationship with our parents and/or caregivers - and thus ultimately, the way we view ourselves.
There are snippets of outdated comments particularly regarding the role of mothers and women and some in regard to race. I found myself mentally editing parts of the text as I read and do believe that a re-edit would prove useful to make the book as accessible as possible, to as wide a readership as the content merits. However, given that it was written in the 70s, these points are mere trifles compared to the bulk of the book and it's wealth of advice and potential for human benefit.
An essential read for anyone who wants to contribute positively to the evolvement of humankind and live more peacefully with ourselves and each other.
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