Every Family Has A Story: How to Grow and Move Forward Together Paperback – 4 May 2023

Julia's work is always extraordinarily humane and useful but this book takes it to another level.Highly recommended reading for all families.

Wow, I was blown away by these stories and the bravery of the clients families. So beautifully written, such detail and reflection of skilled therapy. Please write another!

Well written and interesting, but, as always with books of this type, you begin to wonder exactly what you are reading. All of the identities have been altered (as indeed they should be) and as the author presumably was not recording the therapy sessions, much of the dialogue must have been 're-created.' It increasingly felt like fiction...

Yet to read this but I enjoy her podcast.

I am so pleased I found this book. It has explained so much and helped me to understand things by reading other people's stories. I found it very helpful that Julia explains what is happening as the stories develop. It is not a book for the faint hearted though because sometimes you can see your own foibles through the stories. I'm so pleased I read this.

“A Brief History of Family” should really have been before the case studies as context, leaving the Twelve Touchstones as the finale.Also, the final family story (Craig & Butowski Family) felt unfinished and is prefaced as just that. From an editorial point of view, surely finishing the story would have been worthwhile, but instead leaving the reader with an unfinished story just to make a deadline is disappointing and made meek feel cheated in a way.

I found this book very accessible and, the proof of the pudding, it made me think about my family and their story and why they were as they were. The book is an 'easy read' for the layman, but gives further references if required.Highly recommended

I think it's safe to say I really love Julia Samuel and her work. I've started this but it wasn't really working for me. The cases were a bit superficial(not sure it this is the right word to use, but for lack of a better word...), rather rushed, with not enough depth for my liking. But then I've signed up to an online conversation with Julia and she really convinced me. It's truly a joy listening to her talking. Despite the event being just an hour long, I've learned so much. And I obviously couldn't agree more with what she was saying, with her insights. Her wisdom is so rewarding and motivating at the same time. Watching this event motivated me to persevere with the book. As the cases got more and more interesting and therefore more insightful, so my enjoyment grew. What stands out, just like in her previous book, is the fact that Julia is a great storyteller. She really pulls you in, you feel immersed in each and every case she is describing. You feel the roller-coaster of emotions each person goes through, and you rejoice along side them when they emerge on the other side of the precipice. In particular I've been fascinated by the Berger family - I am sure it has been an incredible experience for Julia to be part of their story, as it was for me as a reader. Also Craig's story has been so very touching and numbing at the same time, life's cruelty knows no bounds!*Book from NetGalley with many thanks to the publisher!

This was my first time reading any of Julia Samuel's books or any book of its kind for that matter. I was enthralled from the first case study on. The concept of every family having its own story is not a new one for me as a writer myself, but the intricate peeling back of the many layers to provide insight on why we behave as we do given generations of circumstances and behaviors is incredibly powerful as a learning tool for not only improving relationships within our own families, but being of support to others. Love and compassion is key. Brilliant book for modern times.

I am a bit puzzled at all the acclaim for this book. The therapist seems to know her stuff judging by her excursions into theory and relevant literature. Her interventions in the cases seem extremely modest and their effect, if any, subject to her optimistic, vague description. A "virtuoso listener" was a comment in one of the quoted publications for this work. If I can be a bit sceptical, that is summing up the majority of her contributions. The descriptions of the family members in these cases are syrupy American style super positive with penny novel adjectives. Perhaps this is done as it is very likely, the families will recognise themselves reading the book. The conclusions and touch stones are very generic, bordering on the cliché - "Model the behaviour you wish for from others" - Wow, don't tell me she came up with that herself. The questions at the end of the book do not add value (were you beaten, sexually abused, did your parents drink or go to prison etc - Does a person need a score to tell in that case childhood may not have been that great an experience?) Very hard going for me.

A must read like all of her books. So brilliantly written I can't wait for her to write more books!