Customer Reviews
Difficult but very rewarding - By: R. Fowkes, 07 Feb 2007 
In the preface, the author states that he has been told by some that this book is too difficult, by others too simple. I would characterise it as huge, as is a fruitcake, not perhapsin physical size, butin richness & complexity. First, it is well worth reading the book through, & mastering the content. Subsequently, use it as a reference book, as you encounter issues & theoretical perspectivesin practice. It is easy to become blase about concepts, through over-repetition of their buzz words, & by lack of reflection, & certain terms become so by incorporationin organisational procedures, for instance. I envisage myself returning to this book to clarify terms & concepts, such as empowerment, anti-discriminatory practice, the nature of power, & others, to refresh their original meaningsin my mind. If there is ever to be a revised edition (not that I imagine Malcolm Payne as exactly sitting round with nothing to do) I would be interested to see the inclusion of the newish recovery approachin mental health practice. Elements of systems, & empowerment approaches there, perhaps? We social workers have all, at some point, claimed to be working holistically, which claim is, more often than not, spin with a grand-sounding cover. However, this book can make you appreciate positive aspects of all theoretical approaches, including those about which we may be, say, ideologically dubious. Thus, for example, the medical model, much derided, certainly by wein mental health, can be seen to have its valuein problem-solving techniques. A great book.
Language Malcolm! - By: , 02 Oct 2005 
I'm just trying to write a piece for college using this book, & its not helping. It may may a thoroughly researched & logically laid-out text, but its quite badly written. The way certain points are expressed is so opaque at times that its difficult to discern what the writer is actually saying. Social work can be a pretty ill-defined activity & its not helped by shrouding it furtherin linguistic mist. Contrast this tome with the style of Neil Thompson for example. Thompson cuts through the crap & gives to us straight.
The perfect 1st year DipSW book - By: , 27 Feb 2003 Payne's book creeps up on you. I got hold of it - along with many others - early onin my DipSW 1st year, but didn't really use it at first. Then, as time went on & assignments came my way, I realised that I had used itin many different parts of the course.
I also came across many very good books which discuss a particular theory, & then reference Payne for a more detailed explanation. What greater recommendation can there be?
So if you're beginning a DipSW, buy this book above all others. In the first month you may think it was a waste of money, then, as you get deeper into certain issues, it will come into its own & stay with you for the rest of your course.
makes social work theory easy to understand - By: , 28 Aug 2001 
Trawling through the theories of social work can be hard work, but this book makes it accessable & easier to undertsand. It gives different perspectives & also allows the reader to draw some conclusions of their own. This book certainly helps with my course & had made me want to follow up & find out more about cetain theories.
