ABOUT THE BOOK
Searching for Bowlby by C.V. Wooster is a vivid and meticulously researched biography that brings to life John Bowlby—the pioneering psychologist who reshaped how we understand human relationships.
Set in early twentieth-century Britain, the book follows Bowlby’s journey from a reserved upbringing to the groundbreaking creation of attachment theory—a framework that continues to influence psychology, education, and parenting today.
A Biography that Balances the Scholar and the Man
Combining rigorous scholarship with human-centered storytelling, Searching for Bowlby examines how personal experience shaped Bowlby’s professional vision. From his early clinical work with children displaced by war to his controversial ideas on attachment and separation, Wooster paints an intimate portrait of a man both driven by intellect and haunted by emotion.
More than a historical biography, Searching for Bowlby speaks to the heart of what it means to connect. In a world marked by disconnection and digital isolation, Bowlby’s insights into love, trust, and resilience feel more relevant than ever.
Why Searching for Bowlby Matters
Attachment theory reshaped how we understand love, loss, and belonging — yet few know the human story behind it. Searching for Bowlby bridges that gap, revealing how one man’s quiet revolution continues to guide how we parent, teach, and heal.
In an age defined by disconnection, Bowlby’s message — that secure relationships are the foundation of emotional health — feels more vital than ever.
Whether you’re a student of psychology, a parent, or simply curious about what makes us human, this book offers both insight and empathy — showing how our earliest attachments echo throughout our lives.
JOHN BOWLBY
John Bowlby was born in London in 1907 into an upper-class British family. Raised primarily by a nanny, he experienced emotional distance from his parents—a common practice among affluent families at the time—which would later influence his views on child development. He was deeply affected when his beloved nanny left the family when he was just four years old, a loss he later described as traumatic.
During World War II, Bowlby served in the Royal Army Medical Corps, where he observed the psychological impact of separation and loss on children displaced by war. This period further shaped his belief in the importance of stable early attachments.
Professionally trained in psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis, Bowlby blended these fields to develop attachment theory. Influenced by his wartime experiences, his clinical work with emotionally disturbed children, and contemporary research in biology and evolution, he argued that the need for close bonds is a basic human instinct. His work laid the groundwork for understanding how early relationships influence mental health across the lifespan.
ATTACHMENT THEORY
British psychologist John Bowlby (1969) proposed the attachment theory, a theory that explains how and why a newborn becomes so emotionally connected with its mother.
4 STAGES OF ATTACHMENT
