Originally published in 1995 Positive Practice is for newcomers to the field of family therapy and systemic consultation including professionals from a variety of disciplines, such as psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, child care and protection, occupational therapy, paediatrics and general medical practice. Positive Practice is a step-by-step approach to family therapy written both as a treatment manual and as a training resource. It describes in detail a unique approach to consulting to families with youngsters who have psychological or social problems. It covers the difficulties associated with planning the first consultation, strategies for family assessment and problem formulation, methods for developing a therapeutic contract and goal setting, plans for conducting therapy and troubleshooting resistance, and ways of concluding therapy. It includes many diagrams and checklists and is essentially jargon-free. Practical exercises are given at the end of each chapter, making it an ideal training resource for any introductory course. Special issues discussed include adjunctive individual sessions, convening network meetings, jointly managing statutory and therapeutic responsibilities, ethical decision making, clinical audit and professional development. An integrative formulation model provides a focus for both guiding assessment and planning therapy. The approach to practice described in this book offers clinicians a way to integrate new ideas from the burgeoning literature on family therapy, theory and research into their clinical work.

Live performance by English comedian and TV presenter Alan Carr, recorded during his 2015 'Yap, Yap, Yap!' tour of the UK and Ireland.

The third edition of Positive Psychology is an accessible introduction to this rapidly growing field. It covers all major positive psychology topics including wellbeing, character strengths, optimism, gratitude, savouring, flow, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, creativity, giftedness, wisdom, growth mindset, grit, self-esteem, self-efficacy, adaptive defence mechanisms, functional coping strategies, positive relationships, and positive psychology interventions. Positive Psychology retains all of the features that made previous editions so popular, including: * Learning objectives * Accounts of major theories * Reviews of relevant research * Self-assessment questionnaires * Self-development exercises * Chapter summaries * Key term definitions * Research questions for student projects * Essay questions for student assignments * Personal development questions for student exercises * Relevant web material * Further reading This new edition has been completely updated to take account of the exponential growth of research in the field. It will prove a valuable resource for students and faculty in psychology and related disciplines including social work, nursing, teaching, counselling, and psychotherapy. This edition also provides access to online teaching resources.

Clinical Psychology is for students studying clinical psychology as part of an undergraduate programme in psychology, nursing, sociology or social and behavioural sciences. Undergraduate students who wish to know if postgraduate study in clinical psychology would be of interest to them will find this book particularly useful.

The book will inform students about:

• the profession of clinical psychology
• how to get onto a clinical psychology postgraduate training programme
• the way clinical psychologists work with children, adolescents and adults with common psychological problems
• the main models of practice used by clinical psychologists, and
• the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of psychological interventions.

There is a focus on both clinical case studies and relevant research, and the book includes summaries, revision questions, advice on further reading and a glossaryof key terms, all of which make it an excellent student-friendly introduction to an exceptionally interesting subject.

The brilliantly funny Sunday Times top ten bestseller. Alan Carr tells his life story in his own words, from growing up in a football-mad family in Northampton to his rise as one of Britain's best-loved comedians. 'Puberty had been unkind. Whereas it had come in the night and left the other boys with chiselled, stubbly chins and deep masculine voices, I'd been left with a huge pair of knockers and the voice of a pensioner.' Alan Carr Alan Carr grew up in one of the most boring towns in England - Northampton. A place known for making shoes. It was also known for its football club, Northampton Town FC. Alan's dad as manager of the club was a local hero. A dream come true for most lads, but not Alan. Alan wore glasses and had man boobs at 14. He did not like P.E. In his very first book, Alan tells his life story, ('oh and what a life') with his unique twist of natural, observational humour - 'I'm not saying I'm a fantasist but there have been times when things that I've seen on television when I was younger have tended to seep into my subconscious and blended into my own life. I remember telling my Mum about the time I stopped that woman from having a diamond encrusted necklace stolen and she'd say 'No Alan, that was Poirot.' With his tongue-in-cheek, end of pier humour that made him famous, Alan describes an ordinary life in bursts of technicolour. His journey from awkward schoolboy hiding his man-boobs on the pitch, drinking tea with the dinner ladies and working in a call centre, to becoming one of our best-loved comedians likened to the great Frankie Howerd, make his book a guaranteed tickler with a laugh-out-loud gag on every page.

The third edition of Positive Psychology is an accessible introduction to this rapidly growing field. It covers all major positive psychology topics including wellbeing, character strengths, optimism, gratitude, savouring, flow, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, creativity, giftedness, wisdom, growth mindset, grit, self-esteem, self-efficacy, adaptive defence mechanisms, functional coping strategies, positive relationships, and positive psychology interventions. Positive Psychology retains all of the features that made previous editions so popular, including: * Learning objectives * Accounts of major theories * Reviews of relevant research * Self-assessment questionnaires * Self-development exercises * Chapter summaries * Key term definitions * Research questions for student projects * Essay questions for student assignments * Personal development questions for student exercises * Relevant web material * Further reading This new edition has been completely updated to take account of the exponential growth of research in the field. It will prove a valuable resource for students and faculty in psychology and related disciplines including social work, nursing, teaching, counselling, and psychotherapy. This edition also provides access to online teaching resources.

What Works with Children, Adolescents, and Adults? provides an up-to-date review of research on the effectiveness of psychotherapy and psychological interventions with children, adolescents, adults, people in later life, and people with intellectual and pervasive developmental disabilities. Drawing on recent meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and key research studies in psychotherapy, this volume presents evidence for: the overall effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy the contribution of common factors to the outcome of successful psychotherapy the effectiveness of specific psychotherapy protocols for particular problems. This comprehensive, user-friendly guide will inform clinical practice, service development and policy. It will be invaluable to psychotherapists, service managers, policymakers, and researchers. What Works with Children, Adolescents, and Adults? offers a review of the evidence base for three Handbooks published by Routledge: The Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology (Carr, 2006), The Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology (Carr & McNulty, 2006), and The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice (O'Reilly, Carr, Walsh, & McEvoy, 2007).

The Handbook of Clinical Interventions with Young People who Sexually Abuse provides authoritative, critical and up-to-date reviews of the growing body of empirical and theoretical knowledge in this field and clearly demonstrates how this knowledge can be used to guide and develop evidence-based practice for assessment and treatment. Key features include:
* essentials of effective treatment programmes
* relapse prevention
* adolescents with intellectual disabilities and female offenders
* work with families of young people who sexually abuse.
Practical guidelines from acknowledged international experts with extensive experience of research and clinical practice will be invaluable to all those working with young people who engage in sexually abusive behaviour.

Prevention: What Works with Children and Adolescents deals with the prevention of psychological problems which are of central concern to those who fund and develop health, social and educational services for children, adolescents and their families. Problems addressed in this book include developmental delay in low birth weight infants and socially disadvantaged children; adjustment problems in children with sensory and additional disabilities and autism; challenging behaviour in children with intellectual disabilities; physical and sexual abuse; bullying; adjustment problems in children with asthma and diabetes; teenage smoking; alcohol use and drug abuse; teenage pregnancy, STDs and HIV infection; post-traumatic adjustment problems; adolescent suicide.
Conclusions drawn in this book are based on the results of over 200 rigorously conducted studies of more than 70,000 children.

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This broad and innovative self-development guide shows readers how they can use scientific findings from contemporary positive psychology to enhance their lives. Containing dozens of practical exercises and real-life examples, it helps bring positive psychology findings from the lab into day-to-day life. Divided into six parts and covering a wide array of themes, this book is designed to help people with or without mental health problems enhance their well-being. It answers questions like: what is well-being? What are the main determinants of well-being, and how can we sustain it? There are also chapters on physical exercise, progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation, savouring pleasures, creative solution-finding and developing compassionate relationships. This non-technical and highly accessible book will be of interest to those from all backgrounds with an interest in self-development, as well as mental health workers and related professionals.

This book presents a clear and in-depth account of abnormal psychology. It focuses on both clinical descriptions, using illustrative case studies at the beginning of each section, and on the implications of the major theoretical perspectives and relevant empirical evidence for clinical treatment. It provides a very readable and up-to-date review of topics including childhood behaviour disorders, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders and models of abnormal behaviour. Alan Carr illustrates a scientific approach to the understanding of these aspects of abnormal psychology. Both the content and style of this book will help students understand a complex area of psychology.

Related link: http://www.psypress.co.uk/psychologyfocus
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The second edition of the Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology: An Evidence Based Practice Approach like its predecessor provides clinical psychologists in training with a comprehensive practice handbook to help build the skills necessary to complete a clinical placement in the field of adult mental health. While practical in orientation, the book is based solidly on empirical evidence.Building on the success of the previous edition this handbook has been extensively revised in a number of ways. Throughout the book, the text, references, and website addresses and have been updated to reflect important developments since the publication the first edition. Recent research findings on the epidemiology, aetiology, course, outcome, assessment and treatment of all psychological problems considered in this volume have been incorporated into the text. Account has been taken of changes in the diagnosis and classification of psychological problems reflected in the DSM-5. Chapters on ADHD in adults, emotion focused therapy, radically open dialectical behaviour therapy, and schema therapy have been added. The book is divided into 6 sections: Section 1 covers conceptual frameworks for practice (lifespan development; classification and epidemiology; CBT, psychodynamic, emotion focused, systemic and bio-medical models; and general assessment procedures) Section 2 deals with mood problems (depression, bipolar disorder, suicide risk, and anger management) Section 3 focuses on anxiety problems (social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and depersonalization disorder) Section 4 deals with psychological problems linked to physical health (health anxiety, somatization, chronic pain, adjustment to cancer, and eating disorders) Section 5 focuses on other significant psychological problems that come to the attention of clinical psychologist in adult mental health services (ADHD in adults, alcohol and other drug problems, psychosis, and psychological problems in older adults) Section 6 contains chapters on therapeutic approaches to psychological distress related to complex childhood trauma (dialectical behaviour therapy for borderline personality disorder, racially open dialectical behaviour for over-controlled presentations, and schema therapy). Each of the chapters on clinical problems explains how to assess and treat the condition in an evidence-based way with reference to case material. Interventions from cognitive-behavioural, psychodynamic, interpersonal/systemic and biomedical approaches are described, where there is evidence that they are effective for the problem in question. Skill building exercises and further reading for psychologists and patients are included at the end of each chapter. This book is one of a set of three volumes which cover the lion's share of the curriculum for clinical psychologists in training in the UK and Ireland. The other two volumes are the Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Third Edition (by Alan Carr) and the Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice, Second Edition edited by Alan Carr, Christine Linehan, Gary O'Reilly, Patricia Noonan Walsh, & John McEvoy).

Clinical Psychology is for students studying clinical psychology as part of an undergraduate programme in psychology, nursing, sociology or social and behavioural sciences. Undergraduate students who wish to know if postgraduate study in clinical psychology would be of interest to them will find this book particularly useful.

The book will inform students about:

• the profession of clinical psychology
• how to get onto a clinical psychology postgraduate training programme
• the way clinical psychologists work with children, adolescents and adults with common psychological problems
• the main models of practice used by clinical psychologists, and
• the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of psychological interventions.

There is a focus on both clinical case studies and relevant research, and the book includes summaries, revision questions, advice on further reading and a glossaryof key terms, all of which make it an excellent student-friendly introduction to an exceptionally interesting subject.

The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice will equip clinical psychologists in training with the skills necessary to complete a clinical placement in the field of intellectual disability. Building on the success of the previous edition this handbook has been extensively revised. Throughout, the text, references, and website addresses and have been updated to reflect important developments since the publication the first edition. Recent research findings on the epidemiology, aetiology, course, outcome, assessment and treatment of all psychological problems considered in the book have been incorporated into the text. Account has been taken of changes in the diagnosis and classification of intellectual disability and psychological problems reflected in the AAIDD-11 and the DSM-5. New chapters on the assessment of adaptive behaviour and support needs, person-centred active support, and the assessment of dementia in people with intellectual disability have been added. The book is divided into eight sections: Section 1: Covers general conceptual frameworks for practice - diagnosis, classification, epidemiology and lifespan development. Section 2: Focuses on assessment of intelligence, adaptive behaviour, support needs, quality of life, and the processes of interviewing and report writing. Section 3: Covers intervention frameworks, specifically active support, applied behavioural analysis and cognitive behaviour therapy. Section 4: Deals with supporting families of children with intellectual disability, genetic syndromes and autism spectrum disorders. Section 5: Covers issues associated with intellectual disability first evident or prevalent in middle childhood. Section 6: Deals with adolescent concerns including life skills training, relationships and sexuality. Section 7: Focuses on residential, vocational and family-related challenges of adulthood and aging. Section 8: Deals with professional issues and risk assessment. Chapters cover theoretical and empirical issues on the one hand and practice issues on the other. They close with summaries and suggestions for further reading for practitioners and families containing a member with an intellectual disability. Where appropriate, in many chapters, practice exercises to aid skills development have been included. The second edition of the Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice is one of a set of three volumes which cover the lion's share of the curriculum for clinical psychologists in training in the UK and Ireland. The other two volumes are the Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Third Edition (by Alan Carr) and the Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology Practice, Second Edition (edited by Alan Carr & Muireann McNulty).

Contents:
A. Carr, Introduction. J. Edgeworth, A. Carr, Child Abuse. E. Murphy, A. Carr, Enuresis and Encopresis. M. Nolan, A. Carr, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. J. Beham, A. Carr, Oppositional Defiant Disorder. R. Brosnan, A. Carr, Adolescent Conduct Problems. M. Moore, A. Carr, Depression and Grief. K. Mitchell, A. Carr, Anorexia and Bulimia. E. Murphy, A. Carr, Paediatric Pain Problems. M. O'Halloran, A. Carr, Adustment to Parental Separation and Divorce. A. Carr, Conclusions.

The third edition of the hugely successful Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology incorporates important advances in the field to provide a reliable and accessible resource for clinical psychologists. Beginning with a set of general conceptual frameworks for practice, the book gives specific guidance on the management of problems commonly encountered in clinical work with children and adolescents drawing on the best practice in the fields of clinical psychology and family therapy. In six sections thorough and comprehensive coverage of the following areas is provided: Frameworks for practice Problems of infancy and early childhood Problems of middle childhood Problems of adolescence Child abuse Adjustment to major life transitions Thoroughly updated throughout, each chapter dealing with specific clinical problems includes cases examples and detailed discussion of diagnosis, classification, epidemiology and clinical features. New material includes the latest advances in: child and adolescent clinical psychology; developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology; assessment and treatment programmes. This book is invaluable as both a reference work for experienced practitioners and as an up-to-date, evidence-based practice manual for clinical psychologists in training. The Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology is one of a set of 3 books published by Routledge which includes The Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology: An Evidence Based Practice Approach, Second Edition (Edited by Carr & McNulty) and The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice (Edited by Alan Carr, Christine Linehan, Gary O'Reilly, Patricia Noonan Walsh and John McEvoy).

Originally published in 1995 Positive Practice is for newcomers to the field of family therapy and systemic consultation including professionals from a variety of disciplines, such as psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, child care and protection, occupational therapy, paediatrics and general medical practice. Positive Practice is a step-by-step approach to family therapy written both as a treatment manual and as a training resource. It describes in detail a unique approach to consulting to families with youngsters who have psychological or social problems. It covers the difficulties associated with planning the first consultation, strategies for family assessment and problem formulation, methods for developing a therapeutic contract and goal setting, plans for conducting therapy and troubleshooting resistance, and ways of concluding therapy. It includes many diagrams and checklists and is essentially jargon-free. Practical exercises are given at the end of each chapter, making it an ideal training resource for any introductory course. Special issues discussed include adjunctive individual sessions, convening network meetings, jointly managing statutory and therapeutic responsibilities, ethical decision making, clinical audit and professional development. An integrative formulation model provides a focus for both guiding assessment and planning therapy. The approach to practice described in this book offers clinicians a way to integrate new ideas from the burgeoning literature on family therapy, theory and research into their clinical work.

This broad and innovative self-development guide shows readers how they can use scientific findings from contemporary positive psychology to enhance their lives. Containing dozens of practical exercises and real-life examples, it helps bring positive psychology findings from the lab into day-to-day life. Divided into six parts and covering a wide array of themes, this book is designed to help people with or without mental health problems enhance their well-being. It answers questions like: what is well-being? What are the main determinants of well-being, and how can we sustain it? There are also chapters on physical exercise, progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation, savouring pleasures, creative solution-finding and developing compassionate relationships. This non-technical and highly accessible book will be of interest to those from all backgrounds with an interest in self-development, as well as mental health workers and related professionals.

The second edition of the Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology: An Evidence Based Practice Approach like its predecessor provides clinical psychologists in training with a comprehensive practice handbook to help build the skills necessary to complete a clinical placement in the field of adult mental health. While practical in orientation, the book is based solidly on empirical evidence.Building on the success of the previous edition this handbook has been extensively revised in a number of ways. Throughout the book, the text, references, and website addresses and have been updated to reflect important developments since the publication the first edition. Recent research findings on the epidemiology, aetiology, course, outcome, assessment and treatment of all psychological problems considered in this volume have been incorporated into the text. Account has been taken of changes in the diagnosis and classification of psychological problems reflected in the DSM-5. Chapters on ADHD in adults, emotion focused therapy, radically open dialectical behaviour therapy, and schema therapy have been added. The book is divided into 6 sections: Section 1 covers conceptual frameworks for practice (lifespan development; classification and epidemiology; CBT, psychodynamic, emotion focused, systemic and bio-medical models; and general assessment procedures) Section 2 deals with mood problems (depression, bipolar disorder, suicide risk, and anger management) Section 3 focuses on anxiety problems (social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and depersonalization disorder) Section 4 deals with psychological problems linked to physical health (health anxiety, somatization, chronic pain, adjustment to cancer, and eating disorders) Section 5 focuses on other significant psychological problems that come to the attention of clinical psychologist in adult mental health services (ADHD in adults, alcohol and other drug problems, psychosis, and psychological problems in older adults) Section 6 contains chapters on therapeutic approaches to psychological distress related to complex childhood trauma (dialectical behaviour therapy for borderline personality disorder, racially open dialectical behaviour for over-controlled presentations, and schema therapy). Each of the chapters on clinical problems explains how to assess and treat the condition in an evidence-based way with reference to case material. Interventions from cognitive-behavioural, psychodynamic, interpersonal/systemic and biomedical approaches are described, where there is evidence that they are effective for the problem in question. Skill building exercises and further reading for psychologists and patients are included at the end of each chapter. This book is one of a set of three volumes which cover the lion's share of the curriculum for clinical psychologists in training in the UK and Ireland. The other two volumes are the Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Third Edition (by Alan Carr) and the Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice, Second Edition edited by Alan Carr, Christine Linehan, Gary O'Reilly, Patricia Noonan Walsh, & John McEvoy).

The third edition of the hugely successful Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology incorporates important advances in the field to provide a reliable and accessible resource for clinical psychologists. Beginning with a set of general conceptual frameworks for practice, the book gives specific guidance on the management of problems commonly encountered in clinical work with children and adolescents drawing on the best practice in the fields of clinical psychology and family therapy. In six sections thorough and comprehensive coverage of the following areas is provided: Frameworks for practice Problems of infancy and early childhood Problems of middle childhood Problems of adolescence Child abuse Adjustment to major life transitions Thoroughly updated throughout, each chapter dealing with specific clinical problems includes cases examples and detailed discussion of diagnosis, classification, epidemiology and clinical features. New material includes the latest advances in: child and adolescent clinical psychology; developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology; assessment and treatment programmes. This book is invaluable as both a reference work for experienced practitioners and as an up-to-date, evidence-based practice manual for clinical psychologists in training. The Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology is one of a set of 3 books published by Routledge which includes The Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology: An Evidence Based Practice Approach, Second Edition (Edited by Carr & McNulty) and The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice (Edited by Alan Carr, Christine Linehan, Gary O'Reilly, Patricia Noonan Walsh and John McEvoy).

The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice will equip clinical psychologists in training with the skills necessary to complete a clinical placement in the field of intellectual disability. Building on the success of the previous edition this handbook has been extensively revised. Throughout, the text, references, and website addresses and have been updated to reflect important developments since the publication the first edition. Recent research findings on the epidemiology, aetiology, course, outcome, assessment and treatment of all psychological problems considered in the book have been incorporated into the text. Account has been taken of changes in the diagnosis and classification of intellectual disability and psychological problems reflected in the AAIDD-11 and the DSM-5. New chapters on the assessment of adaptive behaviour and support needs, person-centred active support, and the assessment of dementia in people with intellectual disability have been added. The book is divided into eight sections: Section 1: Covers general conceptual frameworks for practice - diagnosis, classification, epidemiology and lifespan development. Section 2: Focuses on assessment of intelligence, adaptive behaviour, support needs, quality of life, and the processes of interviewing and report writing. Section 3: Covers intervention frameworks, specifically active support, applied behavioural analysis and cognitive behaviour therapy. Section 4: Deals with supporting families of children with intellectual disability, genetic syndromes and autism spectrum disorders. Section 5: Covers issues associated with intellectual disability first evident or prevalent in middle childhood. Section 6: Deals with adolescent concerns including life skills training, relationships and sexuality. Section 7: Focuses on residential, vocational and family-related challenges of adulthood and aging. Section 8: Deals with professional issues and risk assessment. Chapters cover theoretical and empirical issues on the one hand and practice issues on the other. They close with summaries and suggestions for further reading for practitioners and families containing a member with an intellectual disability. Where appropriate, in many chapters, practice exercises to aid skills development have been included. The second edition of the Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice is one of a set of three volumes which cover the lion's share of the curriculum for clinical psychologists in training in the UK and Ireland. The other two volumes are the Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Third Edition (by Alan Carr) and the Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology Practice, Second Edition (edited by Alan Carr & Muireann McNulty).

***If you loved Alan's first memoir - Look Who It Is! - then his follow-up, Alanatomy, will take you further into the hilarious and bizarre world of the country's favourite chatty man.*** 'As laugh out loud as his TV shows' Daily Mirror It must seem strange to you that I've called a book Alanatomy . . . For anyone who has taken the time to see my stand-up performances or watched my chat show, 'Chattyman', knows that my body has hardly been kind to me - in fact there've been times when we've actually stopped talking to each other. Balding, myopic, often flaky with psoriasis, back fat that hangs suspended like a cape, a voice that could strip varnish, an increasingly dodgy hip and even dodgier teeth. Why would you draw attention to it? you must ask. Couldn't you just call the book something else? Do you think the Great British Public is ready to pore over your body? Well, as I turn forty and take stock of my showbiz life over the last ten years or so, I have learnt to embrace my flaws and face my shortcomings. In fact, strange as it might seem, the things I hate about myself have become my trademark and I am slowly, begrudgingly learning to, if not love them, to at least live with them. I am ready now to take a long hard look at myself and that's what Alanatomy is. It's the story of my rise to fame: the joys, the traumas, the parties, the disappointments. Hopefully you will find it witty, fun, heartwarming, but more importantly honest, and that it will keep you entertained every time you pick it up. Alanatomy is the chance for you to get beneath my skin and see the real me because, and to continue the anatomical theme if I may, this showbiz existence can sometimes feel like an autopsy - picked at, probed and scrutinized with every inch of your body held up for analysis, but unlike an actual autopsy, you are very much alive. So I give you Alanatomy: The Inside Story. I am laying myself out on the slab for your entertainment; naked, stripped bare. Grab your scalpel, peel back the skin and go deep, have a good old probe around at my life so far. Yes, you are going to find guts, a fair bit of cheek, maybe even a little bit of gristle, but hopefully, you'll find a whole lot of heart.

Popular media has become a common means by which students understand both the present and the past. Consequently, more teachers are using various forms of popular culture as pedagogical tools in the history classroom. With their emphasis on issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, sex, race, gender, and violence, social problem films, or "message movies," offer a compelling look at the eras in which they were made. In order to facilitate the use of social problem films as learning tools, however, teachers of history need a dependable resource. Teaching History with Message Movies is a guide for teaching US history using these films as vivid historical illustrations and tools for student engagement. In addition to covering key themes and concepts, this volume provides an overview of significant issues and related films, a tutorial in using film in historical methodology, user guides for thinking about social problems on screen, and sample exercises and assignments for direct classroom use. Focusing on the issues that plaguing society, the book draws on films such as I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Gentleman's Agreement (1947), The Snake Pit (1948), Silkwood (1983) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), among others. This resource enables teachers to effectively use films to examine key social and cultural issues, concepts, and influences in their historical context. Teaching History with Message Movies will be an invaluable asset to any teacher of history in middle- and secondary school settings, as well as at the undergraduate level.