Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 25
 A healing journey October 9, 2006
M. E. Shores (Greensboro, NC)
128 out of 129 found this review helpful
The first thing I had to do when I received my copy of The Five Languages of Apology was to take The Apology Language Profile in the back of the book. I approached it in the happy, fun way I used to look at surveys in women's magazines until the very first question stopped me dead in my tracks. Since it was about how a spouse should apologize for failing to acknowledge a wedding anniversary, it hit home right away. I knew this was going to be a serious book and that it would bring up some very raw emotions. My husband had recently intended to acknowledge our anniversary with a beautiful gift, but it was stolen from his car before he had the chance, and nothing more was said or done about it. Even though I knew my husband was not to blame, I needed someone to take responsibility and there was no one to do that thus creating an unresolved issue we would eventually work through. As I read more of the questions, I experienced emotions ranging from sadness to anger and by the end of it I realized that very few people had ever apologized to me at all let alone took the time to figure out my apology language! It made perfect sense to me that my preferred apology language is accepting responsibility, since people who come from dsyfunctional homes often long for someone to own up to what he or she has done or said, and because this rarely happens, communication becomes distorted. In the midst of my own issues this book was addressing, I was comforted by the words Chapman and Thomas used to lead me from feeling very alone and rejected because of the lack of apologies given to me, to experiencing some healing and closure due to the new understanding I have been given. I have also become much more aware of the apologies I see in movies and in my relationships with friends. I do believe that if we could get to the point of being willing to apologize, even if we have to stumble through it at first, we would broaden our ability to truly love one another.
A Quick and Useful Resource January 14, 2007
Brenda Nixon (Ohio)
24 out of 24 found this review helpful
Since I read The Five Love Languages of Children, I knew The Five Languages of Apology would be just as thoroughly insightful. Who couldn't use some help enhancing relationships? The authors provide various examples, stories, and questions without making the reader feel criticized or reprimanded. For me, page 88, "statements of genuine repentance" was practical. Chapter 14, Apologizing to Yourself is thought-provoking. The authors also emphasize that apologizing is a choice as is forgiveness.
According to the authors, the "art of apology" needs to be learned in childhood. When appropriate, parents need to apologize to their children - it's a way of taking responsibility for one's behavior. Since parents are the first and most influential teachers, we teach kids to apologize by doing so ourselves. It's not a sign of weakness to apologize - but of maturity and accountability.
Chapter 15, "What If We All Learned to Apologize Effectively?" is summed up with, "Fewer people would turn to drugs and alcohol in an effort to find escape from broken relationships. And fewer people would live on the streets of America."
Keep this book on your shelf or bedside table as a quick and useful resource for the relationship challenges in daily life.
Now, I'd like to see these authors write a book on how to confront effectively.
~ Brenda Nixon, Author of Parenting Power in the Early Years and The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start
Great How-to Book for Mending Relationship January 4, 2007
Sarah A. Shirley (Las Vegas NV USA)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
This is a step-by-step guide to fixing relationships broken by hurt feelings, broken commitments, violations of trust, etc. It works!
A "Must read" for everyone! January 11, 2007
Emilye (USA)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
This book, along with the "Five Love Languages," should be required reading for anyone in a relationship. Not just a romantic relationship, but familial relationships, friendships, working relationships, etc. I know I've been in situations where I feel I have adequately apologized, and the other person has said they accepted my apology, but the relationship never fully recovered. I now know that the most likely reason is that I didn't use the apology language that most "speaks" to the other person. (If we don't use the right apology language, the person might not feel the apology is genuine and will therefore find it difficult to truly accept the apology and continue in the relationship.) Seriously - this book is a MUST READ book for all of us!
Saving Relationships!! July 30, 2007
Tamika P. Young (Memphis, TN USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is one of the greatest books that I have read. Pratical techniques that could probably save relationships (marriages, family relationships, friendships,etc.) I greatly recommend this book for pre-marital couples, married couples, friendships even working relationships. The principles in this book has opened my and my husband eyes on our apology languages. When sorry doesn't seem good enough, find out why!!!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 25
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