Boundaries Book Review (S/P G) (NYR 3)

Finished Boundaries by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend yesterday on the train. As I said, I've been trying to start and finish this title for a while (4 years), but that has had nothing to do with the content of the book. I was always interested in the book, but I think I just wasn't in the right place to need to read it. That being said, definitely glad I finished this time. To know these ideas and thoughts were on my shelf instead of in my head is really frustrating. While I read a lot of books that are "self-help", this one might be the first I consider to have truly helped me. While I read most of those books for insight and viewpoint, I read the last half of this book truly looking at my relationships and analyzing my own boundary behavior (both on setting my boundaries and how I react to others). Needless to say, I would not give myself a passing grade. One of the big things the book talks about is a support group. Do not know if I'm quite there yet, but I do look forward to suggesting this to friends to read. If they do, perhaps I have a group in the making.

Regardless, I would highly recommend this for young 20 somethings/pre-marriage. While I think it can be read at any time and be effective (and probably should be re-read on a regular basis to reinforce the ideals for new situations), I think this age group/time frame would allow the reader to be proactive in evaluating their boundaries as they set off into the realms that really need effective boundaries for success (adulthood/live on you own, marriage, career, etc.). I cannot help but think how more satisfying it would be to have had been working toward proper boundaries for ten years at this point.

Ranking - I would give this a 8.5 out of 10. I'm reading one of the earlier editions, and there is a workbook that I did not use, so that may add to it. Also the authors have written more specific editions (Boundaries for Marriage, Boundaries for Dating, etc.) that I think may be more effective depending on what one it looking for. It is also very rigorous in Bible references, which for me is a positive since it helps reinforce that spiritual aspect of my life, but for others, may not add a lot of value or take away from it (but I think most people would know this since I only see it in the spiritual inspiration section of the bookstores).