First published 2018
Laurel Lee Cozzuli examines narcissistic abuse through the lens of a familiar children's story. The author picks up where Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree ends, continuing the tale of the stump and the man who sits on her. Cozzuli uses this relationship to illuminate manipulation tactics that covert abusers employ against trusting victims. The book combines an illustrated story with detailed analysis, dissecting each interaction to reveal subtle abuse patterns. Cozzuli argues that narcissistic abuse pervades our culture so thoroughly that people fail to recognize it, even in beloved children's literature. The author provides readers with concrete tools to identify these behaviors in conversation and spot warning signs in abuse victims. The book includes definitions, explanations, and a section called "Teasing Apart the Crazy" to help readers understand the complex dynamics of narcissistic relationships.
Genres: literary-fiction, abuse, contemporary
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary, unreliable-narrator
268 pages · Paperback · Laurel Lee Publications
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse, gaslighting