The discussion focuses on the characteristics that these men have in common, the ways in which they are different from other men, the factors that made them that way, and the potential for treatment. The author states that battering is not an isolated behavior; instead, it is the product of an entire personality constellation. Thus, assaultiveness exists to maintain this personality; abusiveness is a learned means of self-maintenance. The author describes treatment as a five-stage spiral process toward recovery, based on the concept that the lifelong silencing of abusive men's inner voices contribute to the acting out of rage in place of grief or longing. The discussion concludes with practical tips for readers who recognize that the book accurately portrays the reader they or someone with whom the reader is involved and who want to assess the risk factors for danger in intimate relationships. Chapter reference notes, index, and 116 references