Betrayal Trauma, I believe, is a truly exceptional book. As many people have commented, Freyd's objectivity and good sense in the face of relentless attacks is truly extraordinary. She deserves tremendous praise for this.

Betrayal Trauma discusses "the logic of forgotten abuse," makes the scientific case for it, and presents methods by which the scientific understanding can proceed. This is truly a remarkable contribution. The work is too important and too complex to adequately summarize in a few sentences; therefore, I will not attempt it. I will only say to all those who think they know about the science of memory from reading the FMSF commentary: read this book.

on the Freyd "memory wars": I believe people reveal themselves through their writing. I view the conclusion of Ian Hacking, that after reading Pamela and Jennifer Freyd (he misspells her name as "Jenifer" throughout) that he did not know whom to believe, is absurd. Who writes with wisdom and restraint; who uses melodrama and scare tactics? Who demonizes her enemies?

Also, and this is just so obvious, parents who really love their child do not put her through this kind of public humiliation. Like, duh, people. I agree with the New York Times that it is to Jennifer's great credit that she has not responded in kind, but maintained a professional tone in this book.

Lucid explanations for left brains -- of what survivor right brains know well: Betrayal can make forgetting necessary. Profound betrayal may make profound forgetting unavoidable. Knowing and not-knowing are present simultaneously in most of life as we know it. Mental partitioning is required to maintain a map of a discontinuous world. Selective amnesia is sometimes the best available behavior to keep sane in an insane world. These effects can occur on a grand scale following betrayal in childhood.

Much of our world is silent (or incredulous) about serious childhood betrayal and the effects that follow. Many prefer to disbelieve, consider consequences minor, or attribute stories to a distant fringe. However, betrayal is omnipresent, forgetting is a common skill, and we all know things that we do not let ourselves know. Silence is only possible, anywhere, because millions are just so good at forgetting and stifling their own screams.

Dr. Freyd offers an extraordinarily evenhanded professional treatment of deeply painful personal subject matter. Readers would know nothing of her beginnings or biases if she had not explicitly included some (minimal) mention as part of assuring herself of balance. No one else could have held her to such a high standard.

Because of her parents attacks on Dr. Freyd, I'd expected to find some of her justifible anger in the pages of this book. I did not. Dr. Freyd is logical, objective, and professional in her handling of this sensitive subject. She adds a somewhat new perspective to the old story of sexual abuse and betrayal. An excellent addition to any therapist's or survivor's library.