Recipient of the 2010 Theodore Sarbin Award! The Theodore Sarbin Award is intended to honor a specific body of work by an individual psychologist that demonstrates notable achievement in one or more of the fields to which Theodore Sarbin contributed. These include narrative psychology, contextualist theory, social psychological theories of hypnosis, and other innovative theoretical work that is critical in the broadest sense of the term. This award is presented annually by the Society for Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (Division 24). Past winners are Ruthellen Josselson, Donald Polkinghorne, Kenneth Gergen, Dan McAdams, and Jefferson Singer.
Mark Freeman is one of the foremost thinkers in the ever-growing field of narrative research. Freeman shows, in a style which is both personal and very scholarly, the richness that perspective brings, as well as its psychological and moral complexity. Freeman has a wonderful ability to pose complex philosophical problems in a style that draws the reader in, intellectually and emotionally. * Molly Andrews, Reader in Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of East London, Co-director, Centre for Narrative Research, University of East London Author of Shaping History and Lifetimes of Commitment *
Freeman shows an extraordinary command of the literature on memory and time. His development of the narrative unconscious, narrative foreclosure, and moral lateness are extraordinary contributions to narrative psychology; they widen the conceptual frameworks through which we see and understand how narrative works in our lives, that is, how we actually use narrative and what calls us to narrative over the course of our lives. * Arthur P. Bochner, Distinguished University Professor of Communication, University of South Florida, Author of Composing Ethnography and Ethnographically Speaking *
One of the indisputable strengths of this book is its language, its style. Its author displays a rare mastery in transforming complex psychological and moral issues into accessible narratives, into clear and simple storylines. * Jens Brockmeier, Visiting Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Senior Scientist, Department of Psychology, Free University Berlin, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Narrative Research, University of East London, Co-editor of Health, Illness, and Culture; Literacy, Narrative, and Culture; Narrative and Identity *
The scope of this relatively short book is of huge importance, dealing as it does with the perennial issue of how to lead a good life. * Peter G. Coleman, Professor of Psychogerontology, University of Southampton, Co-author of Ageing and Development and Ageing and Reminiscence Processes *
This book is a well-written, subtly-reasoned, example-rich, soulful piece of work that helps redeem the familiar phenomenon of hindsight from its typically negative portrayal in mainstream psychology, as an unfortunate distortion of memory, and reclaim it as indeed pivotal to our growth as conscious, moral beings. A good many readers, myself included, will be thrilled to have another book by Freeman in their collection. * William L. Randall, Associate Professor in Gerontology, St. Thomas University, Director, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Narrative, St. Thomas University, Co-author of Reading Our Lives and Ordinary Wisdom *
A compelling and fascinating book. Its strengths are that it is written in such a way that one accompanies a gifted thinker and writer through his comments on and dialogue with other gifted thinkers and writers as they ponder the vicissitudes of hindsight. The experience of reading it is like a lengthy conversation with a brilliant friend and one comes away enriched and thoughtful. * Ruthellen Josselson, School of Psychology, Fielding Graduate University, Author of Revising Herself; The Space Between Us; Irvin D. Yalom; and Playing Pygmalion, Co-editor of The Narrative Study of Lives multi-volume series *
Mark Freeman is the rare psychologist with the gift of discerning the philosophical undercurrents and the deep moral significance of everyday behavior and consciousness. In this provocative and personal meditation, Freeman explores the nature of memory, narrative, and time in human lives. His intriguing examples and insights will pull you along as you read; and in hindsight, you will look back on your time with Freeman's book as a profound intellectual experience. * Dan P. McAdams, Professor of Human Development and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Professor of Psychology, Northwestern University, Director, Foley Center for the Study of Lives, Northwestern University, Author of The Redemptive Self; The Person; and Power, Intimacy, and the Life Story Co-editor of The Narrative Study of Lives multi-volume series *
Freeman's central point in this engaging and stimulating book is that in looking backwards in time we are doing far more than simply recollecting what has happened...To do that he tells stories, including some of his own, he cites literature and philosophy, he proposes thought experiments, and he refers to case material. Above all, he writes in an accessible and engaging style-so much so that at times I forgot he is an academic psychologist. * Kenneth Eisold, American Journal of Psychology *
This deeply stimulating book speaks to scholars in psychology, philosophy, the health disciplines, and literature... Hindsight provides an important complement to psychological studies of memory, biases, and self by building on the richness of human experiences in the (re)fashioning of meaning in our lives. We have known at least since Augustine's Confessions how malleable and selective our minds and selves are in the composition of our life narratives. Indeed, Augustine was working hard, per hindsight, to demonstrate God's determinist designs and absolute truths to an implicit audience. Freeman's efforts, however, invite us to embrace the complex vagaries of the human condition as we construct and reconstruct meaning, within the contexts of our local, cultural, and historical lives. * Ulrich Teucher, Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, British Journal of Psychology *