Angry All the Time - An Emergency Guide to Anger Control.

Angry All the Time is intended primarily for individuals whose anger has created problems in their lives. Although anyone working with offenders could benefit from reading this book, correctional workers with clients who have committed crimes as a result of anger and those providing programming that promotes behavioral change will find it most helpful.

The book's prose is simple and conversational; the text is designed to be a tool to help angry individuals change their own conduct. The book's two parts, "Understanding" and "Action," guide the reader through the dynamics of anger. The reader is warned that anger escalates and, without intervention, will continue to negatively affect his or her life in increasingly serious ways. Concepts are repeated, and lists are used frequently. Charts with do's and don'ts are included, and concrete suggestions are given for changing responses to anger triggers. The author says he considered titling the book, "Rageaholic"; some of the language will be familiar to those who have worked with 12-step programs.

Although most of the book is directed toward angry individuals, one chapter is written for their partners. The chapter focuses on the partners' responsibility for their own safety and lack of responsibility for the anger of their partners. It ends with a self-assessment inventory and a checklist to help the partners determine whether they have experienced gains or losses in the relationship.

Each chapter has a summary. The following chapter summary provides a sample of the language used throughout the text: "Living with an angry person can be awful. We've looked at some things you can do to face the situation, though. If you do stay in it, you'll need to fight hard to get treated decently. Your safety comes first, of course. Then the right to be treated with respect. If all else fails, you may have to get out. ... Try to be both realistic and hopeful. If you can't be both, be realistic. Your health and sanity depend on it."

Angry All the Time effectively communicates to the reader that:

* You are responsible for your own behavior.

* Anger is often a mask for or a defense against other emotions.

* Change is possible, but hard.

* Life won't be as exciting without the rush anger offers, but it will be a lot more satisfying.

I would recommend this book for any person who works with corrections clients who have problems controlling their anger. It could be used as a vehicle for guiding group discussions (after all the participants have read it) or for individual self-help. It appears to be targeted toward people involved with domestic violence, but the concepts can be applied to sex offenders and other assaultive individuals who act out of anger. One of the book's strongest features is the simple language, which makes it suitable for use with clients who have reading or comprehension limitations. The book's simplicity does not, however, improperly suggest that the process of change also is easy.

Reviewed by Pamela K. Withrow, warden of the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia.