UsedVeryGood. 1966*, Sixth Printing. Hardcover w/ original, unclipped Dust Jacket. Dj shows minor rubbing on front/back cover, fraying at the top of spine and a closed tear at the bottom of spine. Blue edge on top block of pages. Previous owners bookplate on flyleaf, otherwise pages are clean, crisp and unmarked. No writing or highlighting. Strong binding. Very good copy!

Reviews

On Jun 4 2007, Learningaramaic said:

This wise book-- by one of the greatest psychodynamicly-oriented psychiatrists of the 20th century-- explores human psychosocial function as a "total system" years before Bertalanffy and the General Systems people made its approach into a rigorous discipline in mental health.

Simply put, what Dr. Menninger calls the "vital balance" is equivalent to the human potential for homeostasis in the psychic and social areas. There is nothing mystical or superstitious about this notion, albeit is is holistic and not reductionist.

What is not well-appreciated is that-- given enough inputs/outputs-- the "steady state" of the vital balance Menninger discusses can be described mathematically. BUT FEAR NOT ON THIS NOTICE! NOT A SINGLE MATH FORMULA APPEARS IN MENNINGER'S BOOK HERE, DESPITE THIS COMPLETE COMPLEMENTARITY IN HARD-SYSTEMS TERMINOLOGY.

THE VITAL BALANCE was pressed in 1963; while it was reprinted several times, I understand it can be obtained only in used-bookstores. Pity! This work was well-ahead-of-its-time upon pressing, and I consider it to be CUTTING-EDGE PSYCHIATRY unto this day. This work was the most-consistent and most-rigorous contribution by "Dr. Karl," as he is known at the Menninger Clinic-- is well-crafted theory fit for the family-systems practitioners, the quantifiers, and all in mental health who seek a comprehensive framework within which one can cast the PROCESS OF GETTING WELL PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

--Vernon Lynn Stephens, M.S.S.W.

D.S.M. IV # 350

F31.2

10:49 p.m. -- Monday, June 4, 2007

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Details

Bookseller: Books4Cause Inc. (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 5D4000008N2W_ns
Title: The Vital Balance
Author: Menninger, Karl
Book Condition: UsedVeryGood
Quantity Available: 1
Binding: Hardcover

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Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Jacket: Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
Rubbing: Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
Bookplate: Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Crisp: A term often used to indicate a book's new-like condition. Indicates that the hinges are not loosened. A book described as crisp...