This is the moment to put in something like this 
since he seems to have forgotten  the word "other". 

"And the other car? What happened?" 
T h e author points out that if  a speech difficulty 

persists, however, or if  the parent is concerned about 
the child's speech, it is advisable to consult a therapist, 
who will be able to give expert help if  necessary. 

This is a stimulating little book of  interest I would 
say to parents and speech therapists, and of  real value 
to the parents of  a child with a speech problem. 

P A T A L L S O P P 

STUTTERING — A SYMPOSIUM 
J O N E I S E N S O N , Editor 

Harper  and  Brothers  Publishers,  New  York.  1958 

This excellent book is a most significant  contribu-
tion to the literature on stuttering. Jon Eisenson 
has as his basic premise the fact  that, in order to find 
"some answers to the disorder or disorders of  speech 
referred  to as stuttering, many different  points of 
view need to be presented." He has therefore  selected 
the foremost  authorities in the field  to present their 
viewpoints and so attempt to clarify  many of  the 
problems associated with stuttering. The contributors 
to the symposium include Oliver Bloodstein, I. Peter 
Glauber, Joseph Sheehan, Robert West, Jon Eisenson 
and Charles van Riper. Wendell Johnson has written 
the preface.  He has, in accordance with his semantic 
approach, attempted to indicate to the reader that 
much of  the disagreement between authorities is to 
be found  in their language usage. 

Jon Eisenson, as editor, imposed upon each con-
tributor the limitation that they should attempt to 
answer the following  questions: "(1) What is 
stuttering? (2) What is the cause or what are the 
causes of  stuttering? (3) In the light of  your 
concept of  stuttering, what are your suggestions for 
the treatment of  stutterers." 

It is Bloodstein's belief  that stuttering is a "joint 
product of  more than one factor."  In his chapter 
"Stuttering as an Anticipatory Struggle Reaction" he 
gives a great deal of  evidence to support this hypo-
thesis. · A resume of  salient factors  in therapy, 
including the handling of  resistance, is presented in a 
most lucid way. 

Glauber's chapter on "The Psychoanalysis of 
Stuttering" presents the viewpoint that stuttering is a 
neurotic disorder and therefore  that an understanding 
of  "unconcious mental life"  is essential to the rehabili-
tation of  the stutterer. 

Sheehan presents his concept that stuttering is an 
approach-avoidance conflict.  His scientific  approach 

to the problem and the application of  his hypothesis 
to therapy makes Sheehan's contribution one of  the 
most valuable. 

West titles his chapter "An Agnostics Speculations 
about Stuttering" because he doubts that "answers are 
availalble to certain fundamental  questions." He 
attempts to relate stuttering to certain physical dis-
orders thus emphasizing a physiololgical basis to 
stuttering. 

Eisenson presents his own chapter on "A Persevera-
tive Theory of  Stuttering". According to his view-
point stuttering "is a transient disturbance in commu-
nicative, propositional language usage." His emphasis 
of  the communicative aspects of  the disorder make 
this a most thought provoking chapter. 

Van Riper's contribution to the sympoium takes the 
form  of  a report on "Experiments in Stuttering 
Therapy". It represents an exploration of  the disorder 
for  over twenty years. An almost day to day account 
is given of  the therapy carried out with groups of 
stutterers. The practical knowledge to be gained from 
this chapter is great because the emphasis is on 
therapy. 

It is my opinion that this book is an excellent 
addition to the available lilterature. 

F R U M E T . LUBINSKY 
— < f 

WESTDENE PRODUCTS 
(PTY.) LTD. 

for books on speech defects and 
therapy 

Johannesburg: 
23 E S S A N B Y HOUSE, 175 Jeppe Street 

(23-0314) 

Cape Town: 
408 G R A N D P A R A D E C E N T R E , Castle St. 

(41-1061), 

Durban: 
66/67 N A T I O N A L M U T U A L BLDG., Smith St. 

(2-4975) ; 

Pretoria: 
210 M E D I C A L C E N T R E , Pretorius St. 

(3-3487) ί 
• 4 

JOURNAL OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN LOGOPEDIC SOCIETY December 

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