.VurscEducalionT&~ (1990) 10,401-402 ~QLongmanGroupUK Ltd 1990

02606917/90/0010-0401/$10.00

Health Peter Aggleton Routledge 1990 159pp illus ISBN: O-415-00816-6 f4.99

This book provides an excellent introduction to the sociology of health. It is lucid, well-organised and well-written, presenting a wide range of perspectives. Accounts of Ayurvedic, Chinese and Early European medicine provide a useful counterpoint to the familiar bio-medical model. It is a measure of Peter Aggleton’s success in introducing technical terms that he can later contrast ‘bio-medical positivism' with ‘social positivism’ without making the reader feel drowned in jargon! The book discusses the limitations of theories in terms of what they leave out or fail to explain, avoiding polemic. There are excellent sections on the diff- culties of measuring health, exploring the over simpli- fications involved in, for example, classifying married women according to their husband’s occupation or those born outside the UK as ‘ethnic minorities’.

‘Health’ is clearly a teacher’s book. Peter Aggleton’s experience shows in the clarity of exposition as well as in the detailed and focused paragraphs on further reading and the ideas for student activities. It is, however, primarily aimed at A-level sociology students. Nurse tutors grappling with the demands of Project 2000, or nurses on post-basic courses, will have to make their own adaptations to the needs in nurse education.

ELIZABETHRPERKINS

MA PhD Cert Ed

Handbook of Counselling in Britain Windy Dryden, David Charles-Edwards & Ray Woolfe Routledge 1989 454pp illus ISBN: &415-01327-5 f15.00

What is impressive about this book is its breadth. It has chapters on almost every sort of counselling situation you are likely to come across, from AIDS counselling, to counselling the unemployed and from counselling in education to bereavement counselling. I doubt that you will find a wider ranging book on the topic

The book is organised in five sections: introduction, arenas, settings, themes and issues. The introduction discusses definitions of counselling. The arenas section describes the differences between counselling individuals and counselling groups. Settings is about

where counselling takes place (e.g. in educational or work situations). The themes section (probably the most interesting) describes the range of problems that can occur in counselling, from aspects of sexuality to problems with careers. The final section discusses research into counselling and the question of pro- fessionalisation.

Overall, the book is very readable, although there is a certain unevenness of style. What is particularly engaging is that no one school of counselling is being advocated here. The contributors describe and discuss a range of approaches from the Rogerian to the behavioural. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on the degree to which Rogerian counselling was wholly appropriate in the political climate of the 90s.

This is an important and useful text. Much more than a ‘how-to-do-it’ book, it offers theory, analysis and practical applications. It will be of immense value to nurses who counsel and those who teach counsell- ing. I know that I will use it often.

PHILIPBURNARD MSc RMN RGN DipN Cert Ed RNT

Health Psychology N Niven Churchill Livingstone 1989 38Opp illus ISBN: O-443-03665-9 &8.95

The author claims that health psychology is a new subject. It is the study of normal human behaviour with the emphasis on health not illness and treatment. This perspective obviously fits into current curricular thinking of all nursing programmes and the develop- ment of Project 2000 courses. The study of health within Project 2000 courses has to span the continuum from health and normality to ill-health and patho- logical processes.

This book certainly gives a new and novel approach to that area of the spectrum concerned with health and normality.

Written in a positive and interesting fashion and liberally sprinkled with every day examples it helps to explain the conceptual framework. The work is based on research findings and is well referenced to encou- rage further reading. Health Psychology should find a place in any library and should be reviewed by teachers of this subject as a possible recommended text for students.

MICHAELGARRITY MSc B Ed (How) RGN ONC DN RNT

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