The Nurture Assumption (Abridged) Audiobook

" Fascinating book on how children turn out the way they do and how. Harris' research is deep, accumulated over years of work within child psychology and her knowledge profound. However her vast book does not offer a conclusive response to what is best manner to raise children. Rather she claims genetics do not factor into in as much as assumed before and instead 'nature' (parents) lose in influence to 'nuture' (kids peers). "

" This is a challenge to the traditional belief that parents are the primary shapers of their children's personality and psychological life. Harris argues that it is biology and peers that are more significant. I found this book helpful in thinking more completely about this issue and in not accepting just the popular view that parent's are primarily responsible for their children's psychological development. What I didn't like was the style of writing--it started to feel a little bit like her own personal need to not feel guilty herself with her parenting. It is one thing to say what psychology cannot prove (which is almost everything) and proving that the opposite is necessarily true. Most of the psychological studies can only show correlations not causation, but that doesn't mean that there can be truth there. "

" I'm pretty sure this book is very smart and absolutely correct about why you turned out like you did. It's easy and fun to read, too. "

" Every parent should read this book, if only to reassure themselves that every day isn't a trap to do something that may "ruin" your kid. "

" Quite fascinating. Very funny lady. Best public transport read in awhile. "

" this author has no credentials and while she makes good points, the book is totally overrated. "

" I liked her tone, which is conversational but based on mounds of research. However, she measures "how children turn out" mostly by personality and becoming a "successful adult," neither of which I feel she defines satisfactorily. "

" controversial; sells parents a little short, but definitely thought-provoking and interesting. "

" Gives you a lot of pause on the assumptions that children's personalities are shaped by parents. I'm not convinced by everything in this book, but most of it is worth thinking about. "

" Wonderful thinking. At first you think she's saying that parents don't matter but peers do. Well, she does say this but as long as the parents can determine the peers, parents have influence in this indirect way. She realizes the issue is more complicated than this and discusses it. "

" Brilliant mind. "

" It's nice to know that you can start blaming those "bad influences" pretty much as soon as you send your child to school. "

" Great book, a must-read for over-anxious fed with too may psychological theories parents. Well researched, convincing, eye-opening. "

" I liked her tone, which is conversational but based on mounds of research. However, she measures "how children turn out" mostly by personality and becoming a "successful adult," neither of which I feel she defines satisfactorily. "

" Wonderful thinking. At first you think she's saying that parents don't matter but peers do. Well, she does say this but as long as the parents can determine the peers, parents have influence in this indirect way. She realizes the issue is more complicated than this and discusses it. "

" Great book, a must-read for over-anxious fed with too may psychological theories parents. Well researched, convincing, eye-opening. "

" Loses a star because it was so poorly written, but very interesting over all. "

" Every parent should read this book, if only to reassure themselves that every day isn't a trap to do something that may "ruin" your kid. "

" It's nice to know that you can start blaming those "bad influences" pretty much as soon as you send your child to school. "

" gift from parentshow people are influenced by their peers "

" This book gave me a lot to consider about parenting, and is a fascinating exploration of growth and development that puts so many assumptions into question. "

" Very interesting, but a little bit too long and repeats itself from some point and on. "