This is a decent book about genograms being used in the traditional sense. I bought it to make sense of the genograms done by social workers in my line of work. For that purpose, it's overkill. It did it's job, though, in explaining the basics of the genogram and the different uses it has in a clinical setting.

I was disappointed that the book fails to cover how to genogram the "non-traditional" families that are often formed to try and survive in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods. Genorgrams were conceived to explain nuclear families with maybe one or two step-mother, adopted brother, or other "non-traditional" additions. This book offers no ideas, new or otherwise, that would aid in the diagramming of a typical family I come across in my work. ( )

Family Institute of New Jersey. Provides a standard method of constructing a genogram, doing a genogram interview, and interpreting the results. Uses genograms of famous people to illustrate patterns and give context to events that have made history. For students and professionals. Previous edition, c1985, entitled, Genograms in Family Assessment. ( )