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The Son's Secret

From Oedipus to the Prodigal Son
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( 215 ratings, 21 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Son's Secret by Massimo Recalcati explores the psycho-social life of sons through the lens of classical stories like Sophocles’ Oedipus and the parable of the prodigal son. Recalcati argues that parenting strategies, whether authoritarian or democratic, often aim to impose parents’ dreams onto their sons. However, sons secretly desire recognition as unique, independent individuals capable of forging their own path. The book emphasises the importance of parents acknowledging this need and fostering a supportive environment for their sons’ individuality to thrive.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This reflective work will appeal to parents, educators, and readers interested in family dynamics and psycho-social development.

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"First published in 2017 in Italian under the title Il Secreto [sic] del Figlio."

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This new book by Massimo Recalcati focuses on the psycho-social life of the son. Comparing and contrasting the tragic story of Oedipus by Sophocles and the parable of the prodigal son, Recalcati argues that all common parenting strategies, whether authoritarian or democratic, are attempts at sealing the fate of sons – that is, they are designed to ensure that sons realise the dreams and fantasies of the parents.

But all that sons want – and this is their secret because they generally do not want, or are unable, to confront their parents directly – is to be recognised as unique, as different, as independent, free-thinking individuals who are able to chart their own path in life, rather than extensions of their parents' fantasies. The parents' task is to acknowledge this, and to create the space for this desire to flourish.

Continuing his remarkable reflections on parents, children and family life, this new book by one of Italy's leading and bestselling public intellectuals will be of interest to a wide general readership.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781509531769

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 March 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Polity Press

Contributors:

  • Translated by Alice Kilgarriff
  • Translated by Alice Kilgarriff

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 136g

Pages: 120

About the Author

Massimo Recalcati is a bestselling author and psychoanalyst who teaches at the universities of Pavia and Verona.

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