Book excerpt: Spanking Is a Global Phenomenon looks at this traditional method of corporal punishment from a deep perspective, placing it in its historical context, and from a wide point of view, comparing changing attitudes across cultures and generations. The result of this survey by Fenold Alexis is a work on a topic broadly connected to peoples lives, but rarely examined in such detail. The approach of Spanking Is a Global Phenomenon takes the reader through the history and tradition of spanking, the roles of culture and religions, the connections to slavery, the laws governing spanking, and a survey of attitudes and practices by gender and generation. In the end, Spanking Is a Global Phenomenon provides a comprehensive look at a widespread and deeply rooted parenting practice that tends not to garner such thorough attention. Fenold Alexis explores spankings scriptural and historical background, surveys its legal and cultural contexts in contemporary culture, and suggests ways for parents to administer alternative forms of discipline that work.