As a victim of pediatric doctor-patient sexual abuse, I'm always glad to see this covert issue discussed. However, this book, did not provide enough information to help in my case. Of the few texts I've discovered of this issue, abusive mental health professionals are explored more often than doctors who give physical exams. The sections dealing with abusive mental health professionals and clergy are excellent. However, Betrayl of Trust could have discussed abuse within other doctor-patient relationships more thoroughly. Issues such as appropriate, feasible ways of seeking legal retaliation (which in my experience is none), problems of limitation statutes, and the dangerous possibility of posting the medical abuser's name on the world wide web are neglected. Though the book did not provide much useful information for me, I give four stars to the authors for having the courage to write on these important matters.

Sexual exploitation is a subject that is difficult to understand for many, yet is one that needs to be discussed in both the professional and general public areas. the authors outlined the topic and explained in detail an easy to follow approach covering the issues in each segment with detail. A guide that both the client and professional will find a great deal of information in

When I ordered this book, I expected a photography book of photographs taken throughout Cuba in the nineties. I did not expect a heavy-handed, one-sided anti-Castro dissertation. The photographs are heavily documented with this sort of commentary. The last chapter in the book does not contain photographs at all - it is a collection of essays, all from members of the Cuba exile community. The photographs themselves are of professional quality (they are certainly better than mine), but the subject matter is extremely limited. The vast majority are of buildings, transportation, and street scenes in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. I expected more variety and a bit more imagination in the choice of subject matter. If you do not want to support the political agenda put forth by this extremely prejudicial account, I do not recommend this book. There are lots of more interesting and truly informative books about Cuba.

I read Marcia's book and thought that the pictures were great and the essays from Exiles were extremely interesting and enlightening. As an American, never being in Cuba, I felt I was personally taken on an amazing journey. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I especially loved the poetic way in which each picture was linked. It was very well done.

I have read Marcia Friedman's beautiful book titled "CUBA: The Special Period" from cover to cover and was totally captivated. As an artist, art dealer and art appraiser for over 30 years, I have seen many wonderful books and Marcia Friedman's publication stands out in my mind among the best. The quality of the photography, text and printing make it outstanding.

In reviewing a book, one must keep in mind the book's purpose and intended audience. (*Gulliver's Travels* would make a poor travelogue.) But this caveat poses a problem for someone writing a review of *Deadbeat Dads: A National Child Support Scandal*. What is its purpose and intended audience?

Is it intended for academics and other with a serious interest in understanding the problem of noncompliance with child support orders? One hopes not. This book has nothing to offer such readers. The book is poorly researched, almost completely undocumented and largely lacking in understanding of the problem it seeks to highlight. (Statistics are striking in their absence and, in the few instances where they are included, they are seldom attributed to their source. 'Many' and 'often' are employed so as not to tax the reader with numbers, and there is a consistent bias in how these words are used. Even small percentages are described as representing 'many' cases when it suits the authors' purposes of reinforcing stereotypes.)

Perhaps the book is intended as a call for legislative and court action. If so, it fails completely. Not only is it dangerous to predicate legislative and judicial action on an mistaken understanding of social problems, the book contains no viable suggestions for legislative or judicial solutions.

Is it intended for those seeking to collect court ordered child support? One hopes not because the book gives precious little practical advice. And some of what is offered is of dubious value: "[I]f the deadbeat's workplace is known, she [the woman owed child support] might go there dressed in rags, *perhaps with the children*, making it known to all what the problem is and who is at fault. As long as no laws are broken, she can make her point in a powerful and effective manner" (p. 126-7, emphasis added). This book, with its provocative and alliterative (and very offensive) title, its "dumbed down" prose, and its cartoon versions of "case studies", is likely to appeal only to mediocre high school students trying to dash off a required term paper. Unfortunately, students relying on this book will not come to understand the problem the book purports to address. Here are a few of the more egregious errors in the book:

*It is claimed that no-fault divorce laws has resulted in "[c]hildren's standards of living . . . [dropping], substantially in fact, to the extent that their household income is likely to be approximately one-third of its predivorce level" (p. 49). There is no citation for this claim. The only study claiming to show anything approaching this effect of no-fault divorce laws was that done by Lenore Weitzman (*The Divorce Revolution*, 1985). Weitzman's study has since been shown to be radically wrong and she has recanted her claims. (Interestingly, though Weitzman's exercise in "junk science" must be the source of the authors' statistic here, Weitzman's name does not appear in the book--not even in the rather long bibliography.)

*Nowhere in the book does the reader learn that 52% of all fathers who owe child support earn less than $6,155 per year (University of Wisconsin Poverty Studies Institute, 1993).

*It is nominally acknowledge that noncustodial mothers can be "deadbeats," too. However, it is not adequately noted that the reason most "deadbeat parents" are fathers (a fact that the authors repeatedly reinforce--as if the title isn't sufficient emphasis) is that, by far, most people who are ordered to pay child support are fathers. In fact, 47% of noncustodial mothers default on child support obligations, compared with 27% of noncustodial fathers who default (DHHS Technical Analysis Paper No. 42, 1991).

*The book mentions a couple of times that child support compliance is higher when parents share custody. (So as not to burden the intended reader, it isn't mentioned that child support compliance exceeds 90% in cases of joint custody, is almost 80% when non-custodial parents have frequent visitation, and drops to about 44% when visitation is denied.) Nevertheless, encouraging joint custody is not trumpeted as a solution to child support non-compliance. Indeed, in the discussion of various forms of custody, three full pages and three "case studies" are devoted to the claimed advantages of sole custody. Advantages of joint custody are confined to one short paragraph that describes "another school of thought" (p. 95).

While mediocre high school students, eager to find a source that they can easily digest and cite in writing a term paper, are being misled about the problem of child support, they will be helped to an unhealthy dose of stereotyping. The motives of fathers who seek custody are repeatedly questioned. Motherhood is described as an "occupation" (p. 47) and women are described as leaving "the work force . . . to assume the responsibilities of being a married woman and mother" (p. 46).

This book is not worth buying; it is not worth reading; it is not worth cutting down the trees used to print it. There is a scandal showcased by *Deadbeat Dads*, to be sure. But the scandal is how a book like this one could be published.

Donald C. Hubin, Ph.D., Columbus, Ohio

If you're looking for a well-rounded book objectively exploring child support issues - this isn't it. If you're looking for a one-sided, male bashing view - complete with all of the popular myths surrounding child support - this book is for you.

I find it amazing that such a derogatory term as Deadbeat Dad could be used, let alone make it the title of the book.

From their Ivy League ivory towers, two medical doctors take a stab at performing public policy. This book is full of subjective statements and never presents alternate views or opposing arguments. Surprisingly, this book contains no footnotes, although they do list a bibliography. Their example "stories" seem flat and hollow - like they were cooked up just to fit the point they were trying to make. In every example, the man is the bad guy, the cause of the problem and the woman is the victim. What I did like about the book is that they did not try to cover up the fact that it's all about getting money based on gender bias.

If you're looking for practical information, you won't find it here. If you're looking for rigorous research and a thought-provoking text, you will be seriously disappointed.

-John Smith, Research Analyst Alliance for Non-Custodial Parents Rights