30 review for The Right to Be Human: A Biography of Abraham Maslow

1. 

   5 out of 5

   Mike Zickar – Jun 09, 2018

   A real enjoyable read about the like of humanistic psychology father Abraham Maslow. He, along with Carl Rogers, and a few others shaped psychology toward a more positive, humanistic focus that still resonates today (and in many ways is more amplified). This book does a great job of detailing the facts and events of Maslow's life, through what appears to be a thorough reading of Maslow's journals and his correspondence and interviews with relevant players. Maslow's ideas are still inspiring today A real enjoyable read about the like of humanistic psychology father Abraham Maslow. He, along with Carl Rogers, and a few others shaped psychology toward a more positive, humanistic focus that still resonates today (and in many ways is more amplified). This book does a great job of detailing the facts and events of Maslow's life, through what appears to be a thorough reading of Maslow's journals and his correspondence and interviews with relevant players. Maslow's ideas are still inspiring today, nearly 50 years after his death! I didn't give it 5 stars, though, as I felt like the book avoided nearly any critical evaluation of Maslow's career. This is an appreciative inquiry, a good one at it. . . I think the book could have been even better if the final chapter would have provided a more nuanced evaluation of Maslow's life and career. As it is, the book ends with a 2 page epilogue after Maslow's death, without much evaluation.

2. 

   4 out of 5

   Jim – Feb 05, 2013

   I like to read the occasional biography, and this is a pretty good one. I've long admired Maslow as one of the leaders of the humanist movement in psychology. He is well known for his hierarchy of needs, his theories of self actualization, and his exploration of peak experience. There were a lot of things I didn't know, such as his field work with the Blackfoot nation in 1938, his extreme difficulty breaking into academia due to antisemitism, and his keen interest in studying all branches of psy I like to read the occasional biography, and this is a pretty good one. I've long admired Maslow as one of the leaders of the humanist movement in psychology. He is well known for his hierarchy of needs, his theories of self actualization, and his exploration of peak experience. There were a lot of things I didn't know, such as his field work with the Blackfoot nation in 1938, his extreme difficulty breaking into academia due to antisemitism, and his keen interest in studying all branches of psychology. I didn't know that he started out as a strict atheist and grew into an appreciation of mystic and transcendent experience. And I appreciate his struggles as much as his triumphs.

3. 

   4 out of 5

   Teri Temme – Apr 11, 2018

   I LOVED this book. Perfect ending: "It felt good to be human in his presence. In a disturbed world, he saw light and promise and hope, and he shared these with the rest of us." AWESOME. I LOVED this book. Perfect ending: "It felt good to be human in his presence. In a disturbed world, he saw light and promise and hope, and he shared these with the rest of us." AWESOME.

4. 

   4 out of 5

   Huma Malika – Jun 29, 2021

   Maslow was born into a family of Russian Jews that immigrated to New York. His mother was extremely cruel to him, even killing his pet kittens. As a boy, he was extremely intelligent and precocious, but felt emotionally isolated. He wanted to find a grand unifying theory for the psychology of human motivation. His initial breakthrough came by studying monkeys having sex. His research confirmed what Oscar Wilde already knew: sex is about power. He then did some research on an indigenous tribe in A Maslow was born into a family of Russian Jews that immigrated to New York. His mother was extremely cruel to him, even killing his pet kittens. As a boy, he was extremely intelligent and precocious, but felt emotionally isolated. He wanted to find a grand unifying theory for the psychology of human motivation. His initial breakthrough came by studying monkeys having sex. His research confirmed what Oscar Wilde already knew: sex is about power. He then did some research on an indigenous tribe in Alberta. He found a lot of admirable values in their culture. Unfortunately, when he revisited a few decades later, alcoholism was rampant. Maslow became famous by publishing his theory on the hierarchy of needs. But that didn’t make him rich, although it made him a bit more pompous. He was a teacher for most of his adult life. Maslow was loved by his inner city students when he was an up and coming psychologist in New York. But by the late 1960s, his conservative stance on communism in Vietnam did not sit very well with students at liberal universities. Nonetheless, he found happiness with his family and watching children and grandchildren develop.

5. 

   4 out of 5

   Sally – Apr 08, 2018

   I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have been a fan of Abraham Maslow since Psych 101 in college.

6. 

   4 out of 5

   Jonathan K (Plot & Characters Matter) – Aug 04, 2015

   Really enjoyed it and feel Ed Hoffman did justice to such an amazing human being. It lead me to begin the quest of reading Maslow's books which are as one would imagine, mind bending. The establishment of an entirely new approach to psychology based on the self actualized being is brilliant! Really enjoyed it and feel Ed Hoffman did justice to such an amazing human being. It lead me to begin the quest of reading Maslow's books which are as one would imagine, mind bending. The establishment of an entirely new approach to psychology based on the self actualized being is brilliant!

7. 

   4 out of 5

   Ryan Meachen –

8. 

   5 out of 5

   Robyn –

9. 

   5 out of 5

   Steve Larson –

10. 

    5 out of 5

    Mo –

11. 

    4 out of 5

    Amos Vos –

12. 

    5 out of 5

    Joe Sampson –

13. 

    4 out of 5

    Joanne Lowery –

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    4 out of 5

    LP –

15. 

    4 out of 5

    Ben Pratt –

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    5 out of 5

    John Coss –

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    5 out of 5

    Erik Van –

18. 

    4 out of 5

    Chuck –

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    4 out of 5

    Mary-anne Pan –

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    4 out of 5

    Edward –

21. 

    5 out of 5

    David Sandum –

22. 

    5 out of 5

    Deniz –

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    5 out of 5

    John McHugh –

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    4 out of 5

    Jerry –

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    5 out of 5

    Robert Nelson –

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    5 out of 5

    James Carroll –

27. 

    4 out of 5

    Gizem Erdoğan –

28. 

    4 out of 5

    Cindy –

29. 

    5 out of 5

    Elsa –

30. 

    4 out of 5

    Zeus Livin –