Contact
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Phone: 206.780.3843
Resources
A Few Articles Previously Published by Harriet Cannon:
Click the links below to download a PDF file of each article.
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Bicultural Families and the In Law Connection (32KB) Your Cultural Identity Changes as Your Child Grows (32KB) Culture Shock (40KB)
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Book Recommendations by Harriet Cannon
Good books do not replace the healing changes that are a product of the relationship in therapy or consultation. However, many people find self help books both a confirmation of life experience and a useful resource for support on making the types of changes they have in mind. Below are a few of my favorites. Some of these recommendations are classics and some are newer publications. They all should be available at online booksellers or in your local library or bookstore.
Books for Transitions:
Aging Well; Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development, by George Vaillant, M.D., Little Brown, 2002. Whether you are curious about your own aging or that of loved ones, this book is both informative and satisfying.
The Breaking Point: How Female Midlife Crisis is transforming today’s Women by Sue Shellenbarger, Holt and Company, New York, 2004. Author Sue Shellenbarger is creator and writer of the Wall Street Journal’s Work and Family Column. Her writing about her own midlife crisis sparked overwhelming letters and interest. This book was written after her interviews with 50 women on their mid life crisis and work transformation experiences.
How; Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything in business and Life, Dov Seidman, Wiley Publishers, 2006 An excellent entertaining read describing the necessity of values and reputation to acquire and maintain trust in life, business and international business in today’s hyper connected world.
Learned Optimism; How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, by Martin E.P. Seligman Ph.D., Simon and Schuster, 1998. Nothing stops forward progress in life faster than negativity. This inspiring, practical book contains exercises and support to identify and correct negative thinking loops people commonly fall into.
Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, PhD, Free Press, 2001. This is a great book that can help readers discover and capitalize on their specific strengths, as well as assist managers in supervising people with various strengths.
Organizational Culture and Leadership, Third Edition, by Edgar Schein, Jossey Bass Publishers, and Organizational Pioneer uses an anthropological approach to address the leader’s role in shaping group and organizational behavior.
Perfect Madness; Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety, By Judith Warner, 2006, Penguin Books. This book is written by a former expatriate and journalist who compares and contrasts her European and American parenting experiences of motherhood in the early years. It is an excellent read for those experiencing the transitions and stress of parenting in the 21st century.
Transitions; Strategies for coping with the difficult, painful, and confusing times in your life, by William Bridges, Perseus Books, 2002. The first edition was written in the 1980’s. It has been updated over the years and remains one of the best guides for your experience of career, relationship, and life stage changes. The Way of Transition, by William Bridges is also good for mid life and beyond transitions.
What Color is Your Parachute? By Richard Bolles, 10 Speed Press 2008, Best selling job hunting book in the world which begins with the theory that the success to job hunting begins with self knowledge.
Working Across Cultures, by John Hooker, Stanford Business Books, This book describes why cultural competency is essential for those in international business, expats and business travelers. Hooker delves deeply into the rich complex business issues of this globalized world.
Books for Relationship Building:
Getting Past NO; Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation, revised edition, by William Ury, Bantam Books, 1993. This long standing classic book has insights and techniques for negotiation in difficult situations and with difficult people. It is useful for both work place and extended family relationships.
Please Understand Me; Character and Temperament Types, by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Prometheus Books. This self help book is developed from the Meyers-Briggs theory of temperament types. It is a very helpful, non judgmental way of appreciating individual strengths and differences.
The Relationship Cure; A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships, by John Gottman, Ph.D. and Joan DeClaire, Three Rivers Press, 2001. This book has a wealth of research based information on how to build better communication with your spouse, partner, and other people you care about.
Books on Family Dynamics
Family Ties That Bind; A Self Help Guide to Change Through Family of Origin Therap, by Donald Richardson, Self Counsel Press, 2002. This thin, classic, self help book packs a tremendous amount of information helpful to understanding extended family dynamics.
Growing Up Again; Parenting Ourselves, Parenting Our Children, Second Edition by Jean Illsley Clarke and Connie Dawson, Hazelton Press, The authors are authorities on parent education. This book discusses child development and how parents can validate their strengths and gain confidence to avoid repeating parenting behaviors and attitudes that were painful or dysfunctional in their own childhoods.
You Can Go Home Again; Reconnecting With Your Family, by Monica McGoldrick, W.W. Norton, 1998. This book uses family of origin theory and creative exercises to help you understand and be your most productive with extended family relationships. The entertaining examples are famous families in the political and entertainment arenas.
It Will Never Happen To Me; Growing Up With Addictions As Youngsters, Adolescents and Adults, by Claudia Black, MAC Publications, 2002. This is the updated version of the classic book on the dynamics of the Alcoholic Family System. It is a “must read” for adults who grew up with alcoholism or other addiction in their family.
Books for North American expatriates and frequent business travelers
Beyond Culture, by Edward T. Hall. A great philosophical read for anyone interested in intercultural communication whether you are moving overseas or have done so previously. This book is also recommended for those living and working with diverse cultural populations in any setting.
Breaking through Culture Shock; What You Need to Succeed in International Business, by Elizabeth Marx, Nicholas Beasley Publishing, Excellent advice for Expat managers/spouses. Informative book discusses job challenges internationally, why culture shock is normal and should be anticipated and 10 things to do in preparation to minimize international adjustment problems.
The Expert Expatriate; Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad, Melissa Brayer Hess and Patricia Linderman, 2002, Intercultural Press, A easy to follow self help book with many practical suggestions about the international relocation process.
Gen Xpat; Young Professionals Guide to Making a Successful Life Abroad, by Margaret Malewski, Intercultural Press, Invaluable advice on work, culture shock, relationships and social networking overseas for young professionals who embrace the opportunity and challenge of the expatriate lifestyle.
The Grown Up Guide to running Away From Home; Making a New Life Abroad, by Rosanne Knorr, Ten Speed Press, Straightforward guide to those at midlife or beyond who are thinking about moving overseas but don’t know where to begin. Well thought through checklists, lively suggestions and anecdotes.
The New American Expat; Thriving and Surviving Overseas in the Post 9/11 World, by William Melton, Intercultural Press, The author spent 25 years in international business living in 7 different countries with a variety of cultures. This book is full of practical advice and check lists.
Raising Global Nomads; Parenting Abroad in an On-Demand World, by Robin Pascoe. Timely and comprehensive re-examination of the challenges of parenting abroad. Written with honesty and humor, this is the author’s 5th book for expatriate families.
Nonfiction Books About Bi-cultural and Multicultural Experience
A Sense of Place; Great Travel Writers Talk about their Craft, Lives and Inspiration with Michael Shapiro, Travelers’ Tales Guides, 2004, Interviews about homeland and the importance of place as described by a variety of travel writers from many parts of the world.
Children of Immigration; Carola Suarez Orozco and Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, Harvard University Press, This book describes how immigration affects identity of immigrant children and their families through the stages of child development to adulthood.
Culture Matters; How values Shape Human Progress edited by Lawrence Harrison and Samuel Huntington, Basic Books, A book of essays from a list of respected social scientists and economists discussing their views on the relationship between cultural attitudes and economic success.
The Genius of Language; Fifteen Writers Reflect on Their Mother Tongues, edited by Wendy Lesser, Random House, This is a wonderful collection of a variety of writer’s thinking on their language of origin and how being bi lingual and bi cultural has affected their lives and philosophy of life.
The Global Soul, by Pico Iyer, Vintage Books, Pico Iyer is a bi cultural writer who is a contributing journalist to several US national and international mainstream media publications. This book is wonderful philosophical food for those who are bi-cultural, travel frequently, or live internationally.
Identity and Agency in Cultural Worlds, Dorothy Holland, Harvard University Press, 1999, This academic rather than practical book is written by a group of very knowledgeable social anthropologists. It is very helping for those interested in how cultural identity changes over time and place.
Intercultural Marriage; Promises and Pitfalls, Dugan Romano, Intercultural Press 2001, this is an insightful book on the stresses and challenges of intercultural relationships. It includes stories from diverse cultural partnerships, places, and experiences.
Leaving Deep Water; Asian American Women at the Crossroads of Two Cultures, Claire Chow, Penguin Books, 1999, The most intriguing thing about this book is the diversity of its stories and contributor’s experiences which show the tremendous diversity if the Asian/North American experience.
Living in Spanglish; the Search for Latino Identity in America, Ed Morales, St Martin’s Press 2002. This very insightful book includes the hugely diverse community of Latin Americans living in the US. It is the story of groups of Hispanic immigrants struggling to move beyond identity politics into a 21st century melting pot.
Mixed Matches; How to Create Successful Interracial, Interethnic and Interfaith Relationships, Joel Crohn, PhD, Fawcett Books, 1995, this book is an excellent resource for partners and their extended families who are seeking to understand the blend of their two cultures.
Unrooted Childhoods; Memoirs of Growing Up Global, Faith Eidse and Nina Sichel, Editors, Intercultural Press 2004, An excellent read for those North Americans who have grown up internationally or are raising children overseas.
Wedding As Text; Communicating Cultural Identities through Ritual, Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002. This book’s focus is a self help manual on how bi cultural couples can honor and blend cultural differences through ritual. While this book does focus on weddings, it is also helpful in thinking about other types of holidays and celebrations.
Additional Web site resources
The best web based resources depend on what you are looking for. Here is a mini smorgasbord to get you thinking both culturally and psychologically.
The Power of Positive Attitude
The Positive Psychology Center headed by Martin Seligman PhD focuses on the study of positive emotions, strength based character and healthy institutions. This website has excellent resources on the power of positive attitude as well as online self assessments.
Transitions
Fro over 20 years William Bridges has helped organizations and individuals deal effectively with change. His organization’s website contains books, articles, and self assessment useful for those in transition.
Take a Personality Test based on Jung –Myers Briggs typology
The Myers Briggs type inventories are useful tools for relationship and career insight anytime but especially during transitions.
Take the Holmes Rahe Life Stress Test
This self scored online stress test is excellent insight into how both positive and negative events effect your physical and emotional well being.
www.multiculturalliving.org is a fantastic resource if you are raising your children in a bilingual environment. The website has resources on books, games, and lots of support for parents from other parents with years of bilingual experience. Cory Heller, the founder of multicultural living is a goldmine of information.
The Foundation for International Understanding through Students
For those residing in the Pacific North west in the USA, this organization is a wonderful resource for interacting or hosting international students. The mission of FIUTS is to spread peace through cultural exchange.
Mixed Folks is a website which provides support to mixed race families. Mixed Folks has a library, chat forums and other resources.
For North American expatriates
Robin Pascoe is internationally known for her practical, humorous advice on living, working and raising children overseas. Her books, resources and blog are available on this website.
Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas
FAWCO is an international network of independent organizations whose mission is to serve as a resource for expatriates, provide a voice for American women living abroad, and service to the global community.
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