Anger Management Bibliography
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Anger Free: Ten Basic Steps to Managing Your Anger (1992) was written by W. Doyle Gentry. A doctor of psychology and third generation anger researcher who is the twenty-year editor-in-chief of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine. He introduces and defines “toxic anger” and offers a mind-body approach to anger management in easily accessed sections of information. He draws on clinical experiences, private practice experiences and personal experiences as effective illustrations.
Our Inner World of Rage (1991) was written by Lucy Freeman, a former New York Times reporter who founded a psychology and mental health department. The former reporter that Freeman was is evident in her thorough overview of anger written in an easy to read style. This work is a nicely flowing compilation of anecdotes and observations supplementing and illustrating the research of various professionals in the field.
Anger Busting 101: New ABC’s For Angry Men And The Women Who Love Them (2002) was written by Newton Hightower, a licensed psychotherapist and founder of the Center For Anger Resolution, he includes concrete, immediate behavioral methods for managing anger. He gives a no-nonsense, action based strategy, written directly and simply by someone who failed before succeeding, both as an angry husband and an anger management therapist. This work is extensively endorsed by professionals and lay workers for its effectiveness.
Anger (2001) was written by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Whatever your faith, this book is a meditation of its own. The simple, peaceful language and practical story-like examples are guaranteed to be as calming and thought provoking as “the path” he teaches. Simple enough for a child to understand but profound enough to go back to again and again.
The Dance of Anger (1985) was written by Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D., a renowned therapist at the Menninger Clinic. This book specifically targets women and women’s relationships. This book is heavy on anecdotal illustrations and therefore better as an entire “read for understanding” than for reference or referral.
The Anger Advantage: The Surprising Benefits Of Anger And How It Can Change A Woman’s Life (2003) was written by Deborah Cox, Ph.D., Karen Bruckner, M.A., L.P.C. and Sally Stabb, Ph.D. The title reveals the focus. It is not for everyone, but very effective at elucidating common and pervasive issues arising from the sociological viewpoint of women and anger.
The Anger Workbook (1993) by Les Carter Ph.D., Frank Minirth, M.D., has a decidedly Christian slant, but well within the parameters of similar, purely psychological works. It contains easily parceled topics in a true workbook style, best suited for self-learning, evaluating and changing thinking rather than any deep discovery or behavioral transformation.
Getting Over Getting Mad (2001) by Judy Ford, is one of the few books written by lay people that is as accessible and informative as it is responsible and well researched. It is very easy to reference on a multitude of specific issues and behaviors, both illustrating and explaining the problem and possible solutions.
Overcoming Anger (2004) by Carolyn Jones, Ph.D. MFT is a particularly practical book with effective instructions on getting to the bottom of the hidden beliefs influencing behavior.
Anger: How To Live With It And Without It (1985), by Albert Ellis, Ph.D. is a good read. Ellis is a prolific author and acknowledged expert in mental health who founded the Rational Emotive Behavior Institute as well as REB Therapy. This and his other work, Overcoming Destructive Beliefs, Feelings And Behaviors are thorough explorations and explanations that offer—outside of the professional journals themselves—probably the most complete, researched and proven information of anything on the popular shelves.
The Rage Within (1984) was written by Willard Gaylin, M.D. Along with Ellis’ work, this is the most essential material available for understanding anger. It reads easily, but instructively, like a well-written textbook with accessible and interesting information. Especially arresting is his knowledge of the physical organism and its response to anger.
Facing the Fire: Experiencing And Expressing Anger Appropriately (1993) was written by John Lee (with Bill Scott). This book’s best value is the fact that it is written by someone who’s “been through the fire” but is not a professional or a counselor himself. The result can be curiously insightful and straightforward, much as the account of a battle from the soldier’s perspective would differ from that of the General. The big picture might sometimes be missing, but it provides an interesting perspective.