John Smith (4) (1942–2019)

I'm giving this book four stars for its critique of self-esteem "mythology". However, in my view, the positive case for finding fulfilment is not strong enough. Smith clearly comes from a Christian perspective. His answer to the problems he raises about self-esteem is self-surrender to a higher power. This book needed to have as in-depth a treatment of how to find identity and meaning as that of the critique of self-esteem. A slightly longer book that drew on the research literature around identity and meaning and extended the discussion beyond the Christian perspective would have made this book more valuable. However, if one is looking for a critical view of the concept of self-esteem and its application, this is a good place to start.… (meer)