Fighting Mad is a book by Dr. Ray Guarendi, which is billed as "Practical Solutions for Conquering Anger." I have a lot of vices, like any person, but I can thankfully say that anger is not one of them. Nonetheless, I am a Dr. Ray fan, so I thought I would read this book a chance. The book has 22 chapters, each about seven pages in length, with questions for each title. Some of the titles are, "Trait or State," and "Ally or Adversary." In "Trait or State," Dr. Ray compares and contrasts trait anger, which is something that makes up your personality and state anger, which is anger in certain environments. He then offers solutions for each. "Ally or Adversary" explains how anger can be channeled into something positive or it can be channeled into something negative. Each chapter builds on the previous one and there is a conclusion at the end with a summary paragraph on each chapter. I found that very helpful as it helped to condense and crystallize the material into an easier to remember form.
As someone with a degree in psychology, I found this to be a fascinating read. It was practical and filled with a plethora of examples both real and fictitious. The tone was casual. The humor was present, but not over the top. It was just what I'd expect from a Dr. Ray book. I would recommend this book for anyone dealing with anger, either personally or with children. It is no substitute for actual therapy/counseling, but it is an excellent starting point on the subject. I leave you with my biggest take away from this book, and that is that true forgiveness can wipe away the most corrosive effects of anger. So if you find yourself angry at someone, truly forgive them. It's a lot easier than not forgiving them.
This book was provided to me for free by
Franciscan Media in exchange for an honest review. If you found this helpful, click
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