“A profound and beautiful work…searingly honest, brazenly fresh, and strikingly rich.”
—ANDREW SOLOMON, New York Times bestselling author and recipient of the National Book Award
“One of the best science books of 2020.”
–NEW SCIENTIST
When professional researcher, writer, and longtime Zen student Bethany Saltman gave birth to her daughter Azalea, she felt like something was missing. Saltman thought maybe she was broken.
Wondering if what we do as parents really matters (and hoping to discover that it doesn’t), she embarked on a ten-year journey in search of answers. After stumbling upon something called the Strange Situation, an intriguing laboratory procedure used around the world like an X-ray to reveal the inner workings of attachment between parents and children, Saltman became obsessed, wanting to know how she and her daughter would fare. She launched a full-scale investigation into attachment research, visiting labs, archives, and training sessions, and exploring the life and work of Mary Ainsworth, one of psychology’s most important, but unsung, researchers, and the creator of the Strange Situation.
With a foreword by Dr. Dan Siegel
KIND WORDS
“In this searingly honest, brazenly fresh, and startlingly rich book, Bethany Saltman plunders her autobiography for insights about attachment, and brilliantly connects them to the work of Mary Ainsworth and other thinkers in the field. By personalizing the story of attachment in relation both to her family of origin and to the one she created, she creates a compelling narrative arc that turns up insight after insight. This book about attachment is the story of how we learn love, both early in our lives and later on. It is a profound and beautiful work.”
—ANDREW SOLOMON
National Book Award-winning author of The Noonday Demon and Far From the Tree
Watch the strange situation, the simple procedure that's been repeated tens of thousands of times around the world.
Patriarchy Alert!
This video refers to Mary Ainsworth as John Bowlby's student. In reality, Mary was NOT his student; she was his colleague, then both a pioneer and co-founder of attachment science, now used widely around the world.
KIND WORDS
“A fascinating mix of memoir and the history of a major revolution in the scientific theory of the relationships we form in our first year of life…”
—BOOKLIST (Starred Review)
Strange Situation
Virtual Book Launch
KIND WORDS
“Strange Situation is a beautiful exploration of what makes us human—our relationships. By artfully weaving together her own experiences as a mother, daughter, and wife with the science of attachment and the fascinating life history of one of its founders, Mary Ainsworth, Saltman helps us to see ourselves—and our relationships with those we love—in an entirely new way.”
—LORI GOTTLIEB
New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
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“A fascinating deep dive into attachment theory…this is an excellent resource for anyone interested in child development.”
—PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY
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“A beautifully written account of the courage, luminosity and sheer audacity of loving someone.”
—SHARON SALZBERG,
Author of Lovingkindness and Real Love
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“This extraordinary book tells the story of attachment research and summarizes the key findings of half a century of research… an exceptional achievement for Saltman to have created a “pageturner” that reveals the excitement behind the discoveries of attachment research. A must-read for anyone interested in childhood and those who have spent their lives studying it.”
—PROFESSOR PETER FONAGY, OBE.
Chief Executive, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
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“Honest and complex”
—KIRKUS REVIEW
