About the Authors
The authors, Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson, are two male psychologists who are specialized in treating boys.
Why "Cain"?
From the first time I picked up this book, I've been wondering who "Cain" is. There's a little boy's picture on the cover, but I'm smart enough to know he's not Cain. "It must have been a boy who the two psychologists have treated", I thought. Surely enough, the authors explained the story of Cain in the first chapter. And surprisingly, Cain is not a real person. Instead, he's a biblical figure. Here's the story: "In the Book of Genesis, the brothers (Cain and Abel), both eager to please the Lord, each make an offering, Cain from the fruits of his labor in the fields and Abel a prized lamb from his flock. The Lord expresses pleasure with Abel's offering but pays no heed to Cain's...... Cain feels humiliated...... he draws his brother out to the field and slays him......"
In the authors' own words: "Cain's story describes every boy's desire to please - especially to please his father - and the sequence of ill-managed emotional reactions that lead to a tragic ending...... How different Cain's story might have been had he been able to draw upon inner resources, emotional awareness, empathy, and moral range, for instance, to master the moment. But this emotional education was missing for Cain, and it continues to be the missing piece in the lives of most boys today."
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