Stuttering: Science, Therapy and Practice
- The Most Complete Book about Stuttering,
by Thomas David Kehoe

It is obviously difficult to give fair trial to a book which professes to be "the Most Complete Book about Stuttering". In a world where it is increasingly difficult to define just what stammering is, Mr Kehoe already appears to be claiming the impossible.

The book is split into three sections: science, therapy and practice, each of these consisting of smaller chapter detailing scientific approaches; various therapies for children and adults; and some practical issues which include a list of associations, books, films, famous people etc. This is much more a magazine than a book, with quite a number of contributions from other people. It also has the feel of a magazine, being plainly printed on A4 sheets, but at 150 pages it is certainly no light read.

The author, David Kehoe, is owner of Casa Futura Technologies, the book's publishers but also a manufacturer of electronic stuttering therapy equipment. Mr Kehoe claims he stammered severely until a chance encounter with a faulty telephone, "I heard an echo of my voice, delayed enough to slow my speech and make me talk fluently." He left his job and started wok on developing electronic "anti-stuttering" devices.

I am without doubt that one of Mr Kehoe's intentions when writing or "compiling" this book was to successfully market his own electronic products. Flicking though the book the reader will find many references to his "Desktop Fluency System". Kehoe clearly believes the problem that stammerers need to address lies directly in the speech centre of the brain. He also firmly believes in the concept of 100% fluency (but never really attempts to define it) and that his electronic devices, along with other fluency techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, can achieve this.

In the Therapy section Joseph Sheehan got a half page in summarising "Approach-Avoidance" therapy, while fluency shaping therapy was discussed in great detail covering 8 or 9 pages. Is this really a true and "most complete" reflection of current trends, Mr Kehoe? The therapy section now includes a three-page "Conclusion" recommending and detailing the author's own therapy. Well, what a surprise!

That said, I would not discourage anyone from reading this. It definitely contains a lot of interesting material and some useful information. Also, I would hate to see David Kehoe get away with producing such a book without inducing a healthy debate amongst its readers or without the need for him to further defend the book and its true purpose.

Review by Lisa Boardman.

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See now more recent book by the same author: No Miracle Cures.