Cutting Loose: Why Women Who End Their Marriage Do So Well
By Ashton Applewhite
SUMMARY: This new book by Ashton Applewhite is a feast. There is relatively
little of Ashton Applewhite here and a great deal of the heroic, sometimes
mundane, sometimes inspiring stories of women who have survived. Fair
warning: Applewhite is unabashed in her support of divorce as the correct
choice for women locked in bad marriages.
Divorce for Dummies
By John Ventura & Mary Reed
SUMMARY: Don't let the title fool you. The dummies are the ones paying
their lawyers thousands of dollars and losing control of their divorce.
It's smart people who are reading books like this so they can think
strategically, stay in control, and move on with their lives after divorce.
The "_____ for Dummies" paradigm is a simplified, sprightly
assortment of tips, tricks, warnings, and explanations, distilled and
delivered in paragraphs of no more than two inches. This one is no exception.
I found it a little annoying after a while, but it does make manageable
the sometimes complex decisions you need to make in divorce. Some of the
best sections are on helping your lawyer to help you, what to expect in
a divorce trial, and how to deal with the toughest pos-divorce problems.
Divorce and Money: How to Make the Best Financial Decisions During Divorce
By Violet Woodhouse
SUMMARY: This book is packed with solid, practical, usable information
to help you and your spouse wrestle with the tough financial decisions
you're having to make. This one is pricey, and I wish there were a
cheaper version of it. Even at this high price, though, it's worth it.
Divorce: The Best Resources To Help You Survive
By Rich Wemhoff
SUMMARY: This is not so much a resource in and of itself; it's more
of a gateway or guide to the full panoply of resources available for people
going through divorce. Wemhoff offers comprehensive one-page reviews of
nearly 200 books, tapes, web sites, CD's and software. He categorizes
the resources by how you might use them and who might use them. For example,
there are separate sections of information for children 13+, children
6-12, and preschoolers. Wemhoff patiently and compassionately rates each
resource for overall rating and for design and ease of use. He's not
afraid to list a resource and tell you the problems with it, which is
refreshing. My guess is that the average person going through divorce
would find Wemhoff's book to be overkill. If you're an information
junkie, you'll love it.
Crazy Time: Surviving Divorce & Building a New Life
By Abigail Tafford
SUMMARY: This is a classic, recognized for more than 15 years as the essential
guidebook for getting through divorce. Tafford is compassionate, articulate,
and ever so savvy about the troubles people go through when they have
to deal with divorce. Highly recommended.
How to Aviod the Divorce from Hell, and Dance Together at Your Daughter's Wedding
By M. Sue Talia
SUMMARY: Sue Talia has been a successful divorce lawyer in the hotbed
of California domestic relations for 20 years, and her book shows it.
It's intelligent, thoughtful, and above all, readable. It's easy
to recommend this one for almost anyone going through divorce.
2nd Chances: Men, Women, and Children a Decade After Divorce
By Judith S. Wallerstein
SUMMARY: It's hard to overstate the impact Wallerstein had with this
book. She wrote it at a time when the mental health community accepted
the convention that most of the stress that husbands, wives, and children
experience in divorce is short-lived. Wallerstein's anecdotal research
skewered this comfortable assumption, forcing all of us to confront the
painful truth that divorce hurts- sometimes for decades. That having been
said, though, this is a fundamentally uplifting book. Wallerstein writes
well, and her genuine love for people whose progress she monitors is palpable.
The Good Divorce
By Constance R. Ahrons
SUMMARY: Connie Ahrons is one of those seminal thinkers who has changed
the face of divorce around the world, and this is her best-known work.
It's all about changing our fundamental concept of divorce from ;breaking
up the family" to "redefining the family." To my knowledge,
it was Ahrons who coined the term "binuclear family." Her ideas
may be a little California for you, but it's probably worth hearing
her perspective.
Your Pocket Divorce Guide
By Linda C. Senn
SUMMARY: This is a nice, approachable, compact handbook. You won't
find technical details here. Instead, you'll find simple, practical
guidance on the gut issues one faces when going through divorce. Less
than 100 pages long, this book focuses in the esoteric (maintaining spiritual
health through communing with nature) and the eminently practical (exactly
what utensils you need to start over again in the kitchen). Senn is a
veteran of divorce who speaks frankly of her own journey from her role
as "Mother-and-Savior-of-Everyone" (her words) to a person enjoying
"the most amazingly full and rewarding life I could ever have imagined."
Good reading.
Mom's House, Dad's House: A Complete Guide for Parents Who Are
Separated, Divorced, or Living Apart
By Isolina Ricci
SUMMARY: Isa Ricci is a powerful author, a compassionate leader, and an
all-around neat lady. Mom's House, Dad's House may not have started
the concept of joint custody and shared parenting, but it sure put it
on the map. This is a classic, and it's still valid today.
What Every Woman Should Know About Divorce and Custody
By Gayle Rosenwald Smith, J.D., and Sally Abrahms
SUMMARY: This is an extraordinary sensible, sensitive, and pragmatic book.
It is highly recommended. Interestingly enough, it looks as if it would
be just as useful to men as women. One of my favorite sections is "Hot-button
Issues." Things like "The Gilrfriend in His Bed," "Having
Your Child Travel Alone," and 'Smoking, Drugs, Drinking, Gambling,
and Other Addictions." For what it's worth, the full title is
"What Every Woman Should Know About Divorce and Custody; Judges,
Lawyers, and Therapists Share Winning Strategies on How to Keep the Kids,
the Cash, and your Sanity."
Coparenting After Divorce: A Handbook for Clients.
(A special publication of Family Advocate magazine.) Published by the
American Bar Association Family Law Section, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, IL 60611; 1-800-285-2221. PC513-1100-2101. (56 pp.)
My Parents Are Getting Divorced: A Handbook for Kids
(A special publication of Family Advocate.) Published by the ABA Family
Law Section, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611; 1-800-285-2221.
PC513-1100-1804. (48 pp.)
Putting Kids First: Walking Away From the Marriage Without Walking Over the Kids
By Michael L. Oddenino
Parents are Forever
By Shirley Thomas, Ph.D.
My Kids Don't Live with Me Anymore; Coping with the Custody Crisis
By Doreen Virtue
Handbook for the Newly Divorced: Practical Advice for Getting on with Your Life
(A special publication of Family Advocate.) Published by the ABA Family
Law Section, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611; 1-800-285-2221.
PC513-1100-1803R (48 pp.)
Getting Divorced Without Ruining Your Life
By Sam Margulies, Ph.D.
A Client's Guide to Limited Legal Services
By Sue Talia
Men on Divorce; Conversations with Ex-Husbands
By Ellie Wymard Ph.D.
Between Love & Hate: A Guide to Civilized Divorce
By Lois Gold
No Place to Hide: Facing Sham So We Can Find Self-Respect
By Michael Nicholas
Revolution From Within; A Book of Self-Esteem
By Gloria Steinem