| Spectral Evidence: The Ramona Case: Incest, Memory, and Truth on Trial in Napa Valley Contributor(s): Johnston, Moira (Author) |
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ISBN: 0813335876 ISBN-13: 9780813335872 Publisher: Basic Books OUR PRICE: $23.74 Product Type: Paperback Published: December 1998 Annotation: National Magazine Award-winning author Moira Johnston tells the dramatic story of a "perfect" American family destroyed when a daughter's "flashbacks" of incestuous rape by her father turned to accusations and lawsuits - and of the explosive landmark trial in Napa Valley that gave a father, for the first time, the right to strike back legally at the therapists he believed had planted false memories of sexual abuse in his daughter's mind. Johnston sets the story of Gary, Stephanie, and Holly Ramona in the context of a broader concern over the destructive impact of uncorroborated memories of childhood sexual abuse, a controversy that has embroiled parents, adult children, and family therapists throughout the country and has stirred debate among feminists, psychologists, memory scientists, and lawyers. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - True Crime - Law | Criminal Procedure |
| Dewey: 345.794 |
| LCCN: 98042287 |
| Lexile Measure: 1060 |
| Physical Information: 1.2" H x 6.02" W x 9" (1.38 lbs) 448 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Western U.S. - Cultural Region - West Coast - Geographic Orientation - California |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Spectral Evidence is a masterful account of the Ramona family of Napa Valley, CA, whose outward appearance of success was destroyed by allegations of child sexual abuse brought by Holly, the eldest of the Ramonas three daughters, by her mother, Stephanie, and by Holly's therapists against her father, Gary.These allegations were based on memories recovered through the efforts of the therapists, who were later successfully sued by Gary for malpractice. From the powerfully rendered confrontation between Gary and his wife and daughter, to the dramatic conclusion of the first trial, at which the entire concept of recovered memory was furiously debated, readers witness a dynamic and emotional family drama.Johnston, a veteran investigative journalist, objectively explores the nature of recovered memory, its validity, and its quick acceptance within the professional psychological community. The book provides an even-handed and fair survey of the research and opinions brought to bear by feminists, psychologists, memory scientists, and legal experts. |