A book's time and chance
A writer writes a book and is convinced that it is original, interesting and beneficial. He does the runs: literary agents, publishers the works. It looks like something is going to work out, but again something happens at the last minute. It is quite difficult to continue writing new things until your "baby" finds a good home.
In my book I mention three great teachers of life: Ecclesiastes, Epictetus and Nietzsche. In frustrating moments like these, it is good old Ecclesiastes (Qohelet) who is of help. Firstly, he puts things in perspective, saying that: "there is nothing new under the sun"(1:9). I am not the first author neither the last one to be in such a situation. Secondly he prescribes some healthy irony: "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all." Don't we all know worthless published books, some of which became bestsellers? Thirdly, he suggests a way to pursue: "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." (11:1). Thus, I am casting my book upon the cyberspace.
Usually psychology book are either ‘trade’ meaning popular, without little value for professionals, or ‘academic,’ of hardly any interest to laypeople. I assume and hope that you, my readers, are a mixed crowd, composed of seekers of self-help tools, mental-health professionals and people who find human behavior to be a general topic of interest. My challenge is to make the trip, interesting but not trivial, worthwhile for all of you.
In the following pages you can find an outline of my book, highlights from different chapters, details about my professional experience and activities as well as some published articles of mine. In my blog I will write about my on-going work with chance in therapy and you are invited to visit and be in touch.
Endorsements
This section will include expressions of support and promising letters that didn't lead to any deals or ended with polite letters of rejection.
In this book, Dr. Uri Wernik shows a remarkable
openness to attacking a variety of problems in living including diet,
smoking and addictions with tools that most psychologists have never
considered, and he has written about his ideas and practice in a clear
and forceful manner.
Chance has always been a crucial element in human development and Dr.
Wernik has appropriately applied it in a creative way in his work.
Luke Rhinehart (aka Dr. George Cockcroft), Author of The Dice Man.
I love your book. You're a wonderful writer- the combination of professional information and your personality is really good. I am going to highly recommend it.
Dr.Judy Kuriansky, Ph.D. Professor, Clinical Psychology, Columbia University Teacher's College.
To this believer in serendipity, your book sounds like a very different and potentially very appealing (and effective) way for people to change.
Bruce L. Bortz, Publisher, Bancroft Press.
Thanks for sending through the
text. The book reads very well indeed and holds one's attention. Congratulations!
Tony Grahame, Publisher, Sussex Academic Press.
Therapy
Chance Action: The Playful Way of Changing,
Nova Science Publishers, New York: 2010.
