Book Review: What Your Childhood Memories Say About You

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who was the last born child in his family.  He was mischievous, fun-loving and, most of all, he enjoyed making people laugh even if it was at his own expense.  After many years of forging and solidifying this jester persona, his Truth Therapist's (his Mom) words finally began to hit home.  He decided to do better.  His "D" and "F" grades turned into "C" and "B" grades.  He also began getting a few "A" grades!  He finished college and went on to grad school and became a doctor.  What was that little boy?  Dr. Kevin Leman, author of What Your Childhood Memories Say About You.

"As the youngest child in my family, I accepted early on that my role was to entertain people, to have fun, and to push limits whenever possible.  The only way I could stand out from my scholarly sister and athletic brother was to cut my own path, which was by being a goof-off.  Some children strive for attention in positive ways; others strive for attention in negative ways.  But one way or another, all kids strive for attention." (Location 129, Kindle Version)

Dr. Leman's own childhood is an excellent example of his book's premise; that recalling and reviewing one's early childhood memories can reveal what is your "private logic".  Once you know what your private logic is, you can change it and make your life better.  Your private logic is the way in which you view the world and how you respond to the people in your world, or your modus operandi.

You can discern your private logic by recalling your 3 or 4 most vivid memories from when you were 5, 6, 7 and 8 years old.  These memories, once viewed through the filters Dr. Leman details in What Your Childhood Memories Say About You, give you your life pattern and private logic that is probably still driving you to this day.

Dr. Kevin Leman

Dr. Leman believes that your vivid memories are the ones that your mind chooses for you to recall because they encapsulate your private logic.  To paraphrase Dr. Leman, of all the memories you could have remembered, why did your psyche choose the ones do remember?

 This book is a fascinating perspective to view one's behavior as well as the behavior of those around us...including your children's behavior.  What Your Childhood Memories Say About You is an excellent tool for writers, as well.  It  can help them delve deeper into their characters to make them richer and more complex.  So, if you're looking to figure out why you hate peas, or why the color purple makes you smile, or if you want to create a sensational three dimensional character, pick up Dr. Leman's book!


Rating: 5 Blogairy Notebooks