The Split-Level Trap
Synopsis
The book postulates that status seekers "hell bent on accumulating material possessions" have a fierce desire to move "vertically". This creates a Frankenstein monster, the split-level neurosis. Tremendous emotional stresses peculiar to suburbs can result in psychopathology. These stresses are described as they relate to young wives, husbands, children, adolescents, the middle-aged and the elderly, child-bearing, marriage and divorce.
This colorfully written book describes the stresses, frustrations and boredom of suburban commuter families and attempts to answer the question "Are we commuting to disaster?"
It is a famous case-history survey of moral, social and sexual behavior in the suburbs, and through ten succinctly, cogently, and dramatically-presented case studies, postulates that stress disorders may be more prevalent in American suburbia.
The basic research for the book was done in Bergen County, New Jersey by author and psychiatrist Dr. Richard E. Gordon (1923-1994) and his wife Katherine K. Gordon, a sociologist. Their observations were then written up by Max Gunther, a magazine writer.
- Copyright:
- 1961 Dr. Richard E. Gordon, Katherine Gordon and Max Gunther
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- ISBN-13:
- Publisher:
- Bernard Geis Associates
- Date of Addition:
- 2010-12-12T17:59:08Z
- Language:
- English
- Categories:
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.