Dating and relationships Books

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Book SynopsisOf all the ways relationships fall apart, betrayal can rock us to the core. And yet, for couples or partners who want to stay together and do the work, healing is possible. The old relationships that no longer serve us can be dismantled and reassembled into deeper, stronger, more satisfying bonds than we ever imagined.REBUILDING TRUST features:A guided approach to healing after betrayal whether from sexual infidelity and emotional affairs or hidden addictions and patterns of disrespectStep-by-step exercises and skill-building activities to help partners work together as they restore trust in themselves and each otherTrusted therapy-based strategies and techniques from Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT), Imago Relationship Therapy, and other evidence-based approachesJournaling prompts, conversation starters, and sample scripts to facilitate emotional processing and relational healingAn inclusive, non-judgmental view of relationship dynamics, making

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking, heart-centered road map for everyone who seeks greater fulfillment in their relationships—with family, friends, romantic partners, and themselvesAs a psychologist and minister with more than twenty years of experience, Dr. Thema understands how challenging it can be to create and cultivate healthy relationships—and how critical it is for our well-being. Matters of the Heart draws on the wisdom of science, sacredness, and lived experience to help readers tend to the garden of their hearts and build their best relational lives.    Love is not a level playing field, and improving your relationship with yourself, which includes healing trauma and setting boundaries, is often the first step toward leveling the field. Dr. Thema shares evidence-informed practices, traits, and skills that can enhance your relationships overall, as well as solutions to challenges within common relationship dynamics. With her wise and co

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Book SynopsisTogether you've crafted a uniquely wonderful love story, full of laughter, sweet moments, and the best of memories. Capture those details in this unique fill-in book. With playful prompts like, "I will never get tired of the way we____________," and "I'm pretty sure the stars brought us together so we could_____________," you'll create a keepsake gift that celebrates all the amazing ways your "us" is so special. Features foil stamping and UV spot gloss on a hardcover.

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Book SynopsisFinding the love of your life and holding onto that relationship is more difficult than ever. The problem hasn''t gone unnoticed. From relationship therapists to speed-dating, self-help books to online matchmaking, an entire industry has developed to help us navigate the bumpy road of relationships. Yet in spite of the availability of all these resources, many of us still struggle to discover and keep the love of our lives. That is, until now.This groundbreaking book from the frontiers of psychology offers startling new research about the one missing factor that is vital to relationships—forgiveness. A national bestselling author and leading expert on forgiveness, Dr. Fred Luskin shows that no matter how much two people may love each other, their relationship will not succeed unless they practice forgiveness—an approach that most relationship experts continue to ignore.Why is forgiveness an essential tool for relationships? Studies reveal that 70 percent for what we argue about at the beginning of our relationships will never be fully resolved. In other words, our basic needs and behaviors don''t change over time. The issues are endless: the socks that always end up on the floor, how often to have sex, the ESPN obsession, working hours, and, of course, friends and family. Without forgiveness, these issues, however big or small, too easily turn into relationship-eroding grudges.Forgive for Love is the solution for your relationship woes, providing the tools you need to find and hold onto the love of your life. Dr. Luskin delivers a proven seven-step program for creating and maintaining loving and lasting relationships, teaching easy-to-learn forgiveness skills that will not only resolve immediate conflicts but improve the overall happiness and longevity of your relationships. Simply put: people in healthy relationships figure out how to forgive their partners for being themselves. They do so because it is nearly impossible to change other people and because none of us are perfect. Forgiveness is the key, and Forgive for Love has the answers.

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Book SynopsisIf you love Holly Martin, Sarah Morgan and Jill Shalvis, you''ll love Jaci Burton!What readers are saying about The Best Man Plan!''A lovely fun read full of extremely likeable characters who make the book an absolute joy to read'' ''I loved every minute of it and didn''t want it to end''''A sweet and hot friends-to-lovers story. I can''t wait to see the next story''Don''t miss The Engagement Arrangement - out now! Readers say it''s ''a lovely summer read''!''Always sexy, romantic and charming'' Jill Shalvis ''The characters leap off the page and the romance sparkles'' Romantic Times New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton kicks off her dreamy new Boots and Bouquets series with a sweep-you-off-your-feet friends-to-lovers romance.Three days before Erin Bellini''s wedding, her fiancé breTrade ReviewIt's the perfect combination of heat and romance that makes this series a must-read * Heroes and Heartbreakers *Plenty of emotion and conflict in a memorable relationship-driven story * USA Today *Strong characters, an exhilarating plot, and scorching sex . . . You'll be drawn so fully into her characters' world that you won't want to return to your own * Romantic Times *A beautiful romance that is smooth as silk . . . leaves us begging for more * Joyfully Reviewed *A strong plot, complex characters, sexy athletes, and nonstop passion make this book a must read * Fresh Fiction *Hot, hot, hot! . . . Romance at its best! Highly recommended! * Coffee Table Reviews *[She] has a way of writing intense scenes that are both sensual and raw . . . Plenty of romance, sexy men, hot steamy loving, and humor * Smexy Books Romance Reviews *A wonderful contemporary erotic romance that I recommend! * The Romance Dish *Spy the name Jaci Burton on the spine of a novel, and you're guaranteed not just a sexy, get-the-body-humming read, but also one that melds the sensual with the all-important building of intimacy and relational dynamics between partners * Romance: B(u)y the Book *The characters are incredible. They are human and complex and real and perfect * Night Owl Reviews *

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Book Synopsis“Charming. . . . A moving testament to the diversity and depths of love.” —Publishers WeeklyYou’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be swept away—in less time than it takes to read this paragraph. Here are 175 true stories—honest, funny, tender and wise—each as moving as a lyric poem, all told in no more than one hundred words. An electrician lights up a woman’s life, a sister longs for her homeless brother, strangers dream of what might have been. Love lost, found and reclaimed. Love that’s romantic, familial, platonic and unexpected. Most of all, these stories celebrate love as it exists in real life: a silly remark that leads to a lifetime together, a father who struggles to remember his son, ordinary moments that burn bright.Trade Review“Jones and Lee, editor and submission reader, respectively, for the New York Times Modern Love column, assemble a charming assortment of brief tales of love from the popular column. Each of the 175 selections distill a story of love into fewer than 100 words. While romantic love predominates, there are stories of love between parents and children, siblings, and even for pets and places. . . . This is a moving testament to the diversity and depths of love.”—Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisDiscover the passionate positions of this ancient and revered text. The perfect new spice for bored couples, or a sexy surprise for a single’s overnight company.

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Book SynopsisAn internationally bestselling, illustrated and interactive heartbreak survival guideTrade ReviewEveryone who's ever had a bad break-up should pick up Andrade's quirky mix of memoir, break-up manifesto and paean to positivity...a delightful guide to pushing through and moving on * inews guide to the best self-help books of 2019 *

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Book SynopsisFor years, men have been puzzling over what it is that women find attractive in a man. Now, the world's leading female pick-up artist trainer, Kezia Noble, is here to unlock the mysteries of what women really want in a man. Unlike male pick-up artist trainers, Kezia doesn't make assumptions about what women want - she knows exactly what it is they find attractive in the opposite sex. In this easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to becoming a master seducer, Kezia wil show you how to: * Understand the chemistry between two sexes * Use body language to your advantage * Master the art of seduction * Seal the deal and make sure you see a woman again Read this book and discover that, with Kezia's techniques at your fingertips, attracting women isn't as difficult as you might think!

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Book SynopsisIn his mission to help people attain what he felt was their greatest gift, Leo Buscaglia famously developed a university course on love. This remarkable volume was the result of the interactions of students in his course. Here is what he found love is really about . . . If you feel something, let people know that you feel. Love is like a mirror. When you love others you become their mirror and they become yours. Real love always creates, it never destroys. One does not fall “in” or “out” of love. One grows in love. Love is open arms. If you close your arms about love, you will find that you are left holding only yourself. Love is for everybody who has ever reached out to touch the heart of another.

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Book SynopsisEverything you need to know to capture Prince Charming's heart.The very best advice from The Rules and The Rules 2 is brought together to provide the ultimate guide to successful dating.The notorious dating handbook which, comprises many tips such as Never call a man first' etc (designied to make Mr Right hungry for more) whcih although old-fashioned have been found effective by millions of women worldwide.Other essential advice offered: Always end the first date it will leave him desperate for more Don't call him it will make him desire you more Never accept a Saturday night date after Wednesday it will encourage him to phone sooner Always end the telephone conversation first -it will leave him wanting more Don't rush into sex let his passion build On the first date, don't stare romantically into his eyes he'll know you are planning the honeymoon

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Book SynopsisI loved Jon's book. It's even better than the real thing because you can't hear his voice.' Michael McIntyreA control freak looks for love (women who leave wet teaspoons in sugar bowls need not apply).I haven't woken up with a cup of tea by the bed for seven years. It seems such a small thing but it's one of a thousand things I miss about having someone around to take care of me. I have spent my entire adult life getting things the way I want them and all I want now is someone to give it all up for.'Is your filing faultless? Your CDs, apostrophes, cutlery all in the right places? Can you eat a biscuit in the correct way? Then Jon Richardson (single for seven years and counting) could be your ideal manLiving alone in a one bedroom flat in Swindon, Jon has had far too much time on his hands to think. In fact to obsess. About almost everything. Jon's obssessive compulsive personality disorder has seen him arrange the coins in his pockets in ascending size and colour code his bookshelves. Trade Review‘Richardson is an OCD-afflicted, grumpy young man who can spin a brilliant routine and could well be the best comic of his generation.’ The Herald ‘Boldly funny and expertly written, it’s a look at dark subjects deftly handled by an engaging comic talent.’ Shortlist ‘Written in his unique style, Jon's quest is a hilarious eye-opener into the mind of a neat freak.’ The Sun ‘I loved Jon’s book. It’s even better than the real thing because you can’t hear his voice.’ Michael McIntyre ‘Jon’s book is just like him. Funny, enjoyable and short.’ Alan Carr

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Book Synopsis''Outstanding... An elegant masterpiece... Wry but also warm and generous'' Roxane Gay''Funny, exciting, vulnerable - truly visionary'' Alexander CheeTen days after calling off her wedding, CJ Hauser went on an expedition to study the whooping crane. After a week wading through the gulf, she realised she had almost signed up to live somebody else''s life.In this intimate, frank and funny memoir in essays, CJ Hauser lets go of ''how life was supposed to be'' and goes looking for more honest ways of living. She kisses internet strangers, officiates a wedding, visits a fertility clinic. She reads Rebecca in the house her new boyfriend shared with his ex-wife and rewinds Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story to learn how not to lose yourself in a relationship. She writes about friends and lovers, ghosts and robots, grief and heartbreak, blood family and chosen family, and asks what more expansive definitions of love might offer uTrade ReviewOutstanding . . . An elegant masterpiece . . . Wry but also warm and generous -- Roxane GayThoughtful and fitfully funny . . . Across 17 confessional essays, we find [CJ] furtively spreading her grandparents' ashes at their old house in Martha's Vineyard, contemplating breast reduction surgery and reflecting on her relationships with a high-school boyfriend and a divorcee who is clearly still in love with his ex * Guardian, Best Memoirs of 2022 *Brilliant and beautiful . . . An absolute must-read -- Frances Cha, author of IF I HAD YOUR FACEHauser is refreshingly candid and self-aware. They're unafraid to get into the hard stuff-and it's that vulnerability that makes their writing so accessible. Simultaneously clever, heartfelt, and wrenching, The Crane Wife underlines the messy relationship we all have with love * TIME, 100 Must-Read Books of 2022 *Bold and brilliant and psychologically exquisite, CJ Hauser is a deeply gifted and generous writer. THE CRANE WIFE is enthralling -- Charlotte Fox Weber, author of WHAT WE WANTSometimes a viral essay is just a viral essay. Other times, as with Hauser's story of breaking off her engagement (written for The Paris Review), a piece that spoke to millions will lead to something bigger - in this case, an absorbing memoir in essays * New York Times Book Review, Editors' Pick *Funny and tender * Sun *After reading this memoir-in-essays by the warm, wise, wry, and wonderful CJ Hauser, author of the viral Paris Review essay "The Crane Wife," you'll have to go fix your face. Were you crying laughing or just crying? Both? Splash some cold water on your cheeks. That's it. Now, go forth in peace with a new understanding of what it means to live and love * Garden & Gun, Best Southern Books of 2022 *A deeply personal and vivacious memoir . . . eye-wateringly funny . . . [and] intensely introspective as she focuses on what she is looking for and what she feels is missing * Irish Examiner *Stunning and interrogative. . . Brilliant. . . Calling Hauser 'honest' and 'vulnerable' feels inadequate. She embraces and even celebrates her flaws, and she revels in being a provocateur. . . Much has been written on the themes Hauser excavates here, yet her perspective is singular, startlingly so. Many narratives still position finding the perfect match as a measure of whether we've led successful lives. The Crane Wife dispenses with that. For that reason, Hauser's worldview feels fresh and even radical * Oprah Daily *Intimate, all-too-relatable magic. Hauser writes like she's whispering hard-earned secrets to a friend, picking apart how she has been held hostage to her own fantasies about love and happiness in warm and vulnerable scenes. . . What a gift it is, to have the curtains lift and let us all in * Electric Lit *As Hauser grapples with the changing shape of her life story, it's fitting that the shape of each essay and, indeed, the shape of the collection itself, are self-consciously experimental in form. . . Reading The Crane Wife is a bit like following Hauser into the Mirror Maze, her voice as narrator guiding the way through and out. Whether writing about familial or cultural stories, each text becomes a mirror in which Hauser sees herself reflected back. And in her willingness to turn inward, to truly face herself, Hauser's essays open outward, becoming themselves mirrors into which readers might gaze * Ploughshares *I absolutely LOVED these essays. I knew I ought to ration myself to one a day in order to prolong the joy and fascination of them, but I just couldn't: I had to carry on reading and reading, like eating a whole packet of jelly babies in one sitting. What a fantastic, original, funny and touching voice! C J Hauser is a wondrous writer. This book will give so much happiness -- Cressida Connolly, author of AFTER THE PARTYCompassionate and funny and brave. The book is a masterclass in life writing, and a lesson in how to live a life outside the narratives that would contain us. CJ is a master story weaver. I was left wanting more, in the best way possible -- Charlie Gilmour, author of FeatherhoodIn The Crane Wife, Hauser undertakes a new way for her to tell stories from her life, playing with history and personal history, exploring the possible hidden truths in her family's past and her own. The result is like interconnected short stories but about her life, the person she is and was, maybe even the person she never knew herself to be. Funny, exciting, vulnerable - truly visionary. -- Alexander Chee, author of QUEEN OF THE NIGHT and HOW TO WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOVELThe Crane Wife more than delivers on the immense promise of the viral essay that served as its source. My goodness is it funny, but also so devastatingly honest and bracing. Reading it is like taking a long road trip with your wisest, sharpest friend and talking the entire way. -- R. Eric Thomas, bestselling author of Here For ItThe Crane Wife is brilliant and beautiful - the vulnerability of her viral essay is expanded to include immense humour, pondering and further misadventures of the heart. An absolute must-read. I will be gifting this book all year long -- Frances Cha, internationally bestselling author of IF I HAD YOUR FACEIn this perceptive and probing work, Hauser brilliantly parses the myths that shaped her understanding of love. . . Sparkling. . . A thrillingly original deconstruction of desire and its many configurations * Publishers Weekly, starred review *Hauser is a delightful and agile writer, capable of speaking in multiple registers, but what all of her essays have in common is honesty, wisdom, a certain loopiness-she's an old soul with a fresh perspective and an energetic, wandering mind. The result is an imaginative and beautiful memoir, one that'll be passed through the secret sisterhood of crane wives for years. -- Jennifer SeniorReaders looking for something a little different in a memoir will not be disappointed. The strongest essays exemplify Hauser's keen awareness about life so far: things don't always work out as planned, love is complicated, and trusting your gut is, sometimes, the best option. * Library Journal *Perceptive and witty * Shelf Awareness *Intimate, witty and beautifully crafted * Elle *"I am a kind of breakup pro," Hauser writes late in this lively, thoughtful, and often funny set of personal essays-at a point when the reader has learned much about how unlucky in love she's been. . . Hauser makes a welcome effort to talk about both love and culture in unconventional ways. . . A smart, inviting, and candid clutch of self-assessments * Kirkus Reviews *A staccato, funny, barbed, metaphor-laced, and thought-provoking memoir-in-essays. . . No matter her focus, Hauser's deductions about human nature are always arresting, delving, fresh, and exhilarating * Booklist *While it's always difficult to summarize an essay collection, what holds The Crane Wife together is Hauser's unpacking of emotional truths: who do we love, and why, and what happens when they're gone? When we're alone? When we forget what it was like to love them? * LitHub *

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Book SynopsisAre you a Disappearing Woman? Beverly Engel has identified a widespread problem and provided women with wise guidelines for bursting through it. She writes with compassion and insight. If you think you are a Disappearing Woman, you will drink in this book as if it were a health-giving elixir. It is!-Susan Page, author of How One of You Can Bring the Two of You Together and If I''m So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single? This remarkably helpful book offers new insights into why so many women surrender their individuality in relationships. Don''t wait until your hair is on fire to read it.-Maxine Schnall, founder and Executive Director of Wives Self Help A book of depth and power. I highly recommend it not only to women who lose themselves in their relationships with men but to the parents of adolescent girls who need to be taught how to view themselves as valuable beings separate from their relationships with men and boys.-Michael Gurian, author of ThTable of ContentsIntroduction. DISAPPEARING WOMEN. Are You a Disappearing Woman? How Women Lose Themselves in Relationships: The Four Truths You Need to Know. Why Women Tend to Lose Themselves in Relationships: The Cultural, Biological, and Psychological Influences. The Disappearing Woman Continuum. HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SENSE OF SELF WHILE FLOURISHING IN A RELATIONSHIP: THE SEVEN COMMITMENTS. Commitment 1: Learn to Go Slowly. Commitment 2: Be Yourself and Tell the Truth about Yourself. Commitment 3: Maintain a Separate Life. Commitment 4: Stay in the Present and in Reality. Commitment 5: Don't Go Changing to Try to Please Him. Commitment 6: Cultivate Equal Relationships. Commitment 7: Speak Your Mind. BECOME A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE: DEVELOPING A SELF AND A LIFE THAT SATISFIES YOU. Find Your Authentic Self. Find Your Voice. Find Your Shadow. Find Your Substance. Conclusion: Blending and Balancing. Where Do You Go from Here? Appendix I: Embracing Your Femininity: Especially for Those on the Mild End of the Continuum. Appendix II: Women of Substance Support Groups: Especially for Those Near the Middle of the Continuum. Appendix III: When You Need Professional Help: For Those Who Fall on the Extreme End of the Continuum. References. Bibliography anf Recommended Reading. Index.

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Book SynopsisWedded Wife is a feminist study of the institution of marriage and its history.Trade Review“Lennon is adept at weaving together individual stories and historical records in a way that is simultaneously entertaining and thought-provoking.” -- Rachel Cunliffe * New Statesman *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction SHE SAID YES Popping the question Just the two of us Better to marry than burn – or starve The usual inducements of women to marry Political proposals THE BIG DAY A manoeuvring business Making it official Putting on a show A consummation to be devoutly wished WHAT COMES NEXT? What’s in a name? Love, fair looks and true obedience Forsaking all others A fruitful union Having it all – domestic, social and paid labour Till death do us part Keeping up the fight Epilogue Notes

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Book SynopsisThe inspiration for countless one-liners, witty sayings, stage farces and not a few murder mysteries, marriage is more than just a relationship between two people. It's one of life's biggest adventures and a healthy marriage can be one of life's greatest gifts.Table of ContentsForeword xxiii Introduction 1 Why You Need This Book 1 How This Book Is Organized 2 Part I: What It Means To Say “I Do!” 2 Part II: Can We Talk? 2 Part III: Making Marriage Sexy 3 Part IV: Examining the Marriage Life Cycle 3 Part V: Maintaining a Healthy Marriage 4 Part VI: The Part of Tens 4 Icons Used in This Book 4 Where to Go from Here 5 Part I: What It Means To Say “I Do!” 7 Chapter 1: Taking a Candid Look at Marriage 9 To Marry or Not to Marry? 9 Understanding Marriage Pluses and Minuses 11 Marriage pluses 11 Marriage minuses 12 Why Marriage Isn’t for Everyone 14 Knowing that Unrealistic Expectations Cause Problems 14 Deflating Six Common Marriage Myths 15 Finding Mr or Ms Right 16 Two people in a good marriage automatically grow closer with time 16 When couples argue, it destroys the relationship 16 Pursuing your own individual needs is incompatible with making a marriage work 17 Marriage partners can fill the gaps in one another’s makeup 18 The goal of marriage is for both partners to get exactly what they want 19 Chapter 2: The Five Building Blocks of a Working Marriage 21 Developing a Realistic View of Marriage 21 Treasuring What the Two of You Have in Common 24 Making Room for Separateness in Your Togetherness 27 Agree to do some things separately 29 Develop a balance that suits your relationship 31 Making the Most of Your Differences 31 Combine your strengths 32 Using your differences to mirror one another’s positive traits 32 Remember that your differences were once interesting and pleasurable — not sources of conflict 32 Accepting That Not All Problems Can Be Solved 33 Part II: Can We Talk? 35 Chapter 3: Understanding the Roots of Marital Problems 37 Unraveling a Three-Sided Story 37 Recognizing what you bring to the mix 38 Recognizing what your partner brings to the mix 40 Recognizing the patterns in your marriage 42 Changing negative patterns through positive mirroring 43 Working Together to Build a Stronger Marriage 44 How is your marriage doing? 45 Troubleshooting marital problems 46 Chapter 4: Communicating with Your Partner 47 Recognizing That You’re Always Communicating 48 Watch for changes in mood and attitude 49 Tune into body language 49 Look for signs of nervousness or tension 49 Double-check the meaning of gestures 50 Understanding How You Talk to Each Other 51 Sharpening your listening skills 52 Recognize the impact of conversational pacing differences 55 Husbands, Wives, and Their Communication Styles 56 Understanding the Importance of Negotiation in Marriage 58 Applying the tools of win-win negotiation to marriage 59 Maintaining an ongoing dialogue — especially in matters of the heart 62 Chapter 5: Fighting the Fair Way 65 Understanding That Fights Will Happen 65 Looking for Signs of Unhealthy Fighting 66 Does one spouse fear the other? 67 Does one spouse become physically threatening? 67 Does one spouse destroy property? 67 Does one spouse become verbally or emotionally abusive? 68 Do you fight in front of your children? 69 Does alcohol play a role in your fights? 70 Negotiating to Prevent Fights, When Possible 70 Punctuality 71 Neatness 73 Planning 75 Having a Healthy Fight 76 Defer to the partner who feels most strongly 76 Assume good will 78 Maintain a balance, but don’t keep score 78 Following the Rules of Fair Fighting 79 Be clear about what you (and your partner) want 79 Limit the scope of the argument to the issue at hand 79 Seek a resolution that both of you can live with 80 Go to bed angry, if necessary 80 Look for exceptions 80 See the glass as half full, not as half empty 81 Remember to be kind 82 Apologize when you need to 83 Avoiding the Don’ts of Fair Fighting 83 Don’t look for total victory or unconditional surrender 83 Don’t intentionally prolong the argument 83 Don’t nag or withdraw 84 Don’t bring out the heavy artillery 85 Part III: Making Marriage Sexy 87 Chapter 6: Developing a Great Sex Life 89 Understanding Changes in Sexual Chemistry 89 Communicating Your Sexual Desires 91 Breaking Down Three Major Roadblocks to Good Sex 94 Children 94 Stress and marital tensions 96 Workaholism 96 Understanding Why People Don’t Know What to Expect from Sex 97 Deflating Five Common Sex Myths 98 Men are more interested in sex than are women 99 Married people don’t (or shouldn’t) masturbate 100 Foreplay is a separate part of the sexual experience 100 There’s a difference between clitoral and vaginal orgasms 101 Sex fades as a couple ages 102 Chapter 7: When Sex Falters 105 Recognizing Potential Blocks to Sexual Pleasure 105 Understanding the Causes and Treatments of Sexual Dysfunction 107 Problems with sexual desire 108 Problems with sexual arousal 110 Problems reaching orgasm 113 Finding the Right Kind of Professional Help 117 Part IV: Examining the Marriage Life Cycle 119 Chapter 8: The First Years of Marriage 121 The New Most Important Person in Your Life 121 Negotiating family loyalties 122 Setting boundaries with both your families 125 Understanding the Shifting Role of Friends 127 Negotiating opposite-sex friendships 129 Developing friendships with other couples 130 Coming to Terms with Changes in Sexual Chemistry 132 Adjusting to Each Other’s Rhythms and Quirks 133 Pinpointing Early Marriage Danger Zones 136 Chapter 9: The Growing Family 139 Deciding Whether You’re Ready for Children 139 Choosing when to have a child 140 What if you and your spouse can’t agree about having children 141 Getting Ready for the Financial Hit 142 Understanding the Emotional Impact 144 Balancing Career and Family 146 Resolving the Childcare Dilemma 148 Considering alternate work styles 149 Dividing parental responsibilities 150 Deciding to Have a Second Child 152 Marriage without Kids 154 Chapter 10: Women and Men at Midlife 157 Recognizing the First Stirrings of Middle Age 157 Meeting the Challenges of Your “Second Adulthood” 161 Evaluating your personal satisfaction 162 Evaluating your satisfaction with family-planning choices 164 Evaluating your career satisfaction 165 Understanding Men’s Midlife Concerns 167 Understanding a Woman’s Emotional Changes at Midlife 169 Understanding a Woman’s Physical Changes at Midlife 171 Chapter 11: Making the Most of Marriage at Midlife 175 Evaluating Your Marriage at Midlife 176 Becoming a Couple Again after Children Grow Up 178 Redesigning Your Marriage 180 Caring for Aging Parents 181 Planning for Retirement 184 Chapter 12: Remarriage and Stepfamilies 189 Understanding the Emotions of Remarrying 189 Remarrying after the death of a spouse 190 Remarrying after a divorce 191 Making a Second Marriage Work 193 Understanding the Complex Issues That Stepfamilies Face 194 Understanding remarriage finances 195 Forming a new family unit 196 My children, your children, our children 199 Part V: Maintaining a Healthy Marriage 203 Chapter 13: Reducing the Stress on Your Marriage 205 Understanding Negative and Positive Stress 206 Dealing with Your Own Stressors 206 Keeping Stress from Undermining Your Marriage 209 Dealing with Stress in the “Red Zone” 212 Understanding the Connection Between Stress and Control 214 Assessing the Impact of Stress on Your Marriage 215 Chapter 14: Exploring the Role of Money in Marriage 219 Recognizing How You and Your Partner Deal with Money 219 Recognizing How Money Problems Can Threaten Your Marriage 222 Understanding what’s behind compulsive spending 223 Understanding what’s behind miserly behavior 224 Recognizing How Money Impacts the Balance of Power in Marriage 225 Understanding How a Flexible Marriage Protects Your Financial Future 228 Chapter 15: Examining Extramarital Affairs — and Knowing What to Do about Them 231 Understanding What an Affair Is — and Isn’t 232 Understanding Why (and When) Spouses Cheat 233 Danger zone 1: Shortly after the wedding 234 Danger zone 2: When a baby enters the family 235 Danger zone 3: The seven-year itch 237 Danger zone 4: The midlife marriage crisis 238 Understanding What to Do About a Cheating Spouse 241 Admitting Versus Denying Infidelity 244 Rebuilding a Marriage After an Affair 245 Chapter 16: Getting Outside Help 249 Recognizing Problems that Require Outside Help 249 Problem drinking 250 Drug abuse 251 Compulsive gambling 252 Domestic violence 253 Unresolved grief 254 Depression 255 When a child has a serious physical or emotional problem 256 When the two of you are unable to resolve differences 257 When one or both of you has decided to seek a divorce 257 Finding the Right Kind of Outside Help 258 Deflating Six Common Therapy Myths 261 One school of therapy is better than another 262 Successful therapy has more to do with the therapist than the client 262 A therapist’s job is to make you feel good 262 A therapist is supposed to champion your cause 263 A therapist’s views and values don’t matter 264 The goal of therapy is to solve all your problems 264 Chapter 17: Understanding Divorce and Its Alternatives 267 Deciding if Your Marriage Is Worth Saving 267 Evaluating your investment in the marriage 269 Understanding the impact of divorce on children 272 Winning Back Your Mate 275 Reframing Your View of a Flawed Marriage 277 Creating the Kind of Marriage That Works Best for You 279 Agree to live as friends or compatible roommates 279 Make family your main priority 280 Recast your marriage as a business partnership 280 Have a low-risk extramarital affair 281 Recognizing When Divorce Is Your Best Option 281 Part VI: The Part of Tens 283 Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Make Your Marriage More Romantic 285 Pay Attention to Your Appearance 285 Show Your Love Every Day 286 Use Words of Love 286 Use a Gentle Touch 287 Make Time to Be Alone Together 287 Do All of the Traditional Things — Even if They Seem Corny 288 Do Something Out of the Ordinary 289 Play and Laugh Together 290 Revisit Your Shared History 291 Chapter 19: Ten Things You Should Never Say to Your Partner 293 “You Never” or “You Always” 293 “Yes, But ” 294 “It’s All Your Fault” 295 “Are You Getting Fat?” 295 “That’s Not My Job” 296 “Why Can’t You Be More Like ?” 297 “I’ll Try” 297 “Forget It, I Don’t Want to Fight” 298 “I’m Getting a Divorce” 298 Chapter 20: Ten Ways To Have a Fair Fight 301 Understand What’s Really Going On 301 Stick to the Issues 302 Listen Beyond the Literal Words 302 Look at Both Sides 303 Look for Ways to Bend without Breaking 303 Use Strategic Timing 304 Don’t Garbage-Bag 304 Don’t Go for the Jugular 305 Don’t Take the Moral High Ground 305 Make Sure Both of You Can Live with the Outcome 305 Chapter 21: Ten Signs That Your Marriage Is in Trouble 307 One Spouse Is Physically Violent 308 One Spouse Is Verbally Abusive 308 One Spouse Is Abusing Alcohol or Drugs 308 One Spouse Has a Problem with Compulsive Gambling or Compulsive Spending 309 One Spouse Is a Workaholic 310 One Spouse Is Having an Affair 310 One Spouse Is Depressed 311 The Two of You Disagree About Having Children 312 You and Your Partner Have Stopped Having Sex 313 You and Your Partner No Longer Enjoy Being Together 314 Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Have a More Exciting Sex Life 315 Make Sexual Contact Part of Your Everyday Life 315 Expand Your Sexual Horizons 316 Tell and Show Each Other What Pleases You 317 Unleash the Power of Fantasy 318 Take Advantage of Pornography 318 Make Special Time for Sex 319 Become an Artful Kisser 319 Don’t Focus Just on the Orgasm 320 Talk Sexy 320 Have Sex With Someone You Love — Yourself! 321 Appendix A: References 323 Chapter 1 323 Chapter 2 323 Chapter 4 323 Chapter 5 324 Chapter 6 324 Chapter 7 325 Chapter 8 325 Chapter 9 326 Chapter 10 326 Chapter 11 326 Chapter 12 327 Chapter 13 328 Chapter 14 328 Chapter 15 328 Chapter 16 329 Chapter 17 329 Chapter 22 329 Sources of Quotations 330 Bibliography 330 Appendix B: Resources 335 Premarital Counseling 335 Therapy and Counseling 335 Infertility and Adoption 336 Sexual Difficulties 336 Stress 337 Retirement 337 Mental Illness 337 Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors 337 Domestic Abuse 338 Divorce 338 Index 341

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Book SynopsisGodly Dating 101 will empower believers to rise out of confusion, toxic environments, or sin, and to follow Jesus passionately to build God-honoring relationships and experience a more abundant life. Tovares and Safa Grey will help readers focus on and live by biblical standards, not society’s expectations.

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Book SynopsisEvery one of us has tremendous power to either build others up or tear them down through the words we speak every day, and nowhere is this more evident than in our marriages. Are you being purposeful in how you use the power of your words to speak encouragement, strength, and love--breathing life into the heart of your spouse? Or are careless words having a negative impact on your marriage and on the heart of the one you love most? Matt and Lisa Jacobson want you and your spouse to discover the powerful ways you can build one another up in love with the words that you choose to say every day--words that every husband and wife need to hear. These books offer you 100 Things to say to your husband or wife that deeply encourage, affirm, and inspire. Start speaking these words into each other''s lives and watch your spouse--and your relationship--transform before your eyes.

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Book SynopsisHow can you improve your relationship with your children and more effectively parent them? Florence Littauer helps you identify, understand, and meet each child's unique needs.Table of ContentsIntroduction: "I Don't Know What's Wrong with My Child!"Part 1 Overview of the Personalities1 What Are the Personalities?2 Profiling Parent and Child PersonalitiesPart 2 Living with the Personalities3 Marks of a Sunny Sanguine4 Parenting Your Sanguine Child5 Marks of a Controlling Choleric6 Parenting Your Choleric Child7 Marks of a Meticulous Melancholy8 Parenting Your Melancholy Child9 Marks of a Pleasant Phlegmatic10 Parenting Your Phlegmatic Child11 Enjoying Your Family's Personality PortraitConclusion: "Now I Understand!"Appendix A: An Overview of the PersonalitiesAppendix B: Personality Profile

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Book SynopsisSeeking Love in Modern Britain charts the emergence of the modern British single through an account of the dating industry that sprang up to serve men and women. It shows how amid a period of unprecedented sexual and social change the single' became a key unisex identity and lifestyle. From around 1970, a growing, cottage-style matchmaking industry in Britain was offering the romantically solo a choice between computer dating firms, such as Dateline or Compudate, introduction agencies and the lonely hearts pages of Private Eye, Time Out and others. Zoe Strimpel reveals how this rapidly expanding landscape of services was catering to a new breed of single people, and how by the late 1990s singleness had become the culturally mainstream, wholly expected part of the romantic life cycle that it is today. Refuting the widespread idea that the Internet invented modern dating, this book uses an eclectic and engaging range of first-person accounts and snapshots from Trade Review5 stars ... An intelligent history of the dating industry between 1970 and 2000 – post sexual revolution and pre-internet – that makes you rethink the way we get what we want (or don’t). Be warned: this is a serious piece of social history and not written in layman’s language. Casual readers might find sections of it difficult to navigate, but I think it adds to the book’s charm. It’s like watching Love Island in the company of Michel Foucault. * The Telegraph *This volume explores an important subculture of heterosexual relationships in late 20th-century Britain ... The author explores the frequently painful subjectivities of singleness during this period and excels at integrating an enormous amount of bibliographical material into her analysis ...[This book] illuminates a neglected area of gender studies in Britain. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals. * CHOICE *The book [is] a wonderfully rich resource for academics, and it is also of great interest to the informed general reader. * Journal of British Studies *Seeking Love in Modern Britain is many books at once: a history of singlehood; a study of the transformation of matchmaking from the lonely hearts era to Internet dating; an analysis of the deep enmeshment of intimacy with consumer culture. It will quickly become compulsory reading for anyone – scholars and general readers -- interested in understanding the state of modern love and sexuality. * Eva Illouz, Professor of Sociology, Hebrew University, Israel *This is an empirically rich history of the modern ‘single’. Revealing the developing tensions between pragmatism and feeling – or, as Strimpel rather beautifully puts it, ‘the methodical and the magical’ – in a changing world and pointing to the confusions, contradictions and impossibilities of modern dating, this is interdisciplinary work at its best. * Claire Langhamer, Professor of Modern British History, University of Sussex, UK *An enthralling, serious and deeply-researched account of singleness in contemporary Britain. * Harry Cocks, Associate Professor of British History, University of Nottingham, UK *The book is a lively account of mediated courtship that manages to seamlessly marry complex theoretical frameworks ... Strimpel’s book is welcome reading to scholars of gender and sexuality, in addition to those interested in the social and cultural history of late-twentieth-century Britain more broadly. * European Review of History *Table of ContentsList of Figures Introduction 1. Live Alone and Like It? Singleness in Late 20th-Century Britain 2. The Matchmaking Industry, 1970-2000 3. Representations of the Dating Industry 4. Mediated Daters and the Experience of Matchmaking Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWhat is the secret to a healthy, happy, fulfilling marriage?Nearly every marriage starts out happy, and if we''re honest, nearly every marriage at some point becomes unhappy. Is there a solution? Can an unhappy marriage really get back to being happy? Can it be truly and authentically happy--even better than it was at first? Kevin and Marcia Myers, married for thirty-seven years through nearly every challenge a couple can face, emphatically say yes. Revealing seven practices that offer help and hope for a happy and enduring marriage, The Second Happy is a captivating, practical resource that provides the tools necessary to tune-up, overhaul, or even rebuild your marriage. Practices to sustain and strengthen marriage include the following: breaking the quit cycle; picking a fair fight so both people win; keeping disagreements from escalating; and removing pretense from your relatio

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Book SynopsisPsychologist and relationship expert Gary W. Lewandowski exposes 10 myths that are sabotaging your relationship and provides practical, science-backed tools for addressing them.Trade ReviewStronger Than You Think identifies the common blind spots that mould and sabotage your love relationship, and then helps you fix them - all backed by science and good research! After reading this book, you'll become more knowledgeable, prepared, confident, and perceptive about your own relationship. -- Dr Terri Orbuch, author of '5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great'

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Book SynopsisTogether you can make it through anything. We live in a troubled society, and those maintaining order and justice are some of the most overworked, unappreciated, and underpaid. The nature of their jobs is taxing both personally and relationally. Bulletproof Marriage is a 90-day devotional that applies biblical principles to support and strengthen the marriages of military members, law enforcement officers, and first responders. Each day includes a Bible verse, inspirational reading, quick tips, action steps for both husband and wife, and a prayer. Sometimes the greatest love is not to sacrifice your life but to live a life of sacrifice. Invite God to help you make your marriage bulletproof.

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times bestseller, Where's My Happy Ending? asks the questions you've always wondered: What is ‘happily ever after’? How do you make love last? Is there such a thing as ‘the one’?Maybe you’ve just had a first date with ‘the one’, maybe you’ve been married for ten years. Either way, it’s hard to know if they’re really meant to be by your side until you both wear dentures. In this book Anna Whitehouse and Matt Farquharson, co-founders of the Mother Pukka website and authors of the Sunday Times bestseller Parenting the Sh*t Out of Life, set out to discover what it takes to make it to forever, by asking our greatest questions about love.They ask a former sex-worker and her ex-gigolo husband, celibate monks and free-loving hippies. They ask people who never wanted kids and people who have loads of them. They speak to couples, throuples and singles; gay, straight and anywhere in-between.And in asking these questions, they are forced to confront their own relationship after a decade of marriage. Join Anna and Matt on a searingly honest, belly-laugh inducing journey through love and relationships, social media and small children, expert advice and everyday exasperation, as they navigate the muddy waters of modern romance.Trade ReviewAs entertaining as it is instructive . . . Surprisingly funny and touching. * Evening Standard *Wise and funny * Stylist *As a divorced single mother, thank God there is none of that smug, married-couple twattery in this book. I loved it. -- Jane Garvey, BBC presenterThe honesty, wit and wisdom in this book makes it a joy to read. There’s a genuine drive to get to the bottom of our often questionable romantic philosophy. It’s painful and funny – and painfully funny. -- Emma FreudThey both write and engage with the reader so playfully and willingly. There’s such intimacy and lightness at the same time that there’s intensity and great substance. This is a delightful book that takes us into the depths of the modern human condition. An essential psychological exploration. -- Charlotte Fox Weber, Head of Psychotherapy at The School of LifeFunny, emotional, brilliant. -- Katie Piper * Psychologies *The book is a hoot – hilarious and heartfelt; Anna and Matt have done it again. I didn't know how much I needed to read this, a book that goes deep into the nitty gritty, beyond the Disney lies and "They Lived Happily Ever Afters". As someone about to get married, I absolutely loved this, and will keep it firmly on my bookshelf to remind me that life and love can be messy and hard, but it doesn't mean we're doing it wrong. -- Emma GannonThis book made us laugh, cry and remember where it all started for us. In a garage. With the smell of petrol in the air. Memories! -- Chris and Rosie Ramsey, Founders of Shagged, Married, Annoyed.A glorious mix of writing that’s both painfully honest and painfully funny. -- Ellie TaylorThis book left me laughing so very hard and equally blubbing with tears, often within a few pages. I've never read anything that so perfectly captures the questions we all have about family and life and happiness, and that leaves you with such an uplifting finish that you want to go and hug all your loved ones harder than ever. -- Jools OliverFantastically unsmug -- Woman’s Hour

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times bestseller, Where's My Happy Ending? asks the questions you've always wondered: What is ‘happily ever after’? How do you make love last? Is there such a thing as ‘the one’?‘As entertaining as it is instructive . . . Surprisingly funny and touching.’ - Evening StandardMaybe you’ve just had a first date with ‘the one’, maybe you’ve been married for ten years. Either way, it’s hard to know if they’re really meant to be by your side until you both wear dentures. In this book Anna Whitehouse and Matt Farquharson, co-founders of the Mother Pukka website and authors of the Sunday Times bestseller Parenting the Sh*t Out of Life, set out to discover what it takes to make it to forever, by asking our greatest questions about love.They ask a former sex-worker and her ex-gigolo husband, celibate monks and free-loving hippies. They ask people who never wanted kids and people who have loads of them. They speak to couples, throuples and singles; gay, straight and anywhere in-between.And in asking these questions, they are forced to confront their own relationship after a decade of marriage. Join Anna and Matt on a searingly honest, belly-laugh inducing journey through love and relationships, social media and small children, expert advice and everyday exasperation, as they navigate the muddy waters of modern romance.Trade ReviewAs entertaining as it is instructive . . . Surprisingly funny and touching. * Evening Standard *Wise and funny * Stylist *As a divorced single mother, thank God there is none of that smug, married-couple twattery in this book. I loved it. -- Jane Garvey, BBC presenterThe honesty, wit and wisdom in this book makes it a joy to read. There’s a genuine drive to get to the bottom of our often questionable romantic philosophy. It’s painful and funny – and painfully funny. -- Emma FreudThey both write and engage with the reader so playfully and willingly. There’s such intimacy and lightness at the same time that there’s intensity and great substance. This is a delightful book that takes us into the depths of the modern human condition. An essential psychological exploration. -- Charlotte Fox Weber, Head of Psychotherapy at The School of LifeFunny, emotional, brilliant. -- Katie Piper * Psychologies *The book is a hoot – hilarious and heartfelt. As someone about to get married, I absolutely loved this, and will keep it firmly on my bookshelf to remind me that life and love can be messy and hard, but it doesn't mean we're doing it wrong. -- Emma GannonThis book made us laugh, cry and remember where it all started for us. In a garage. With the smell of petrol in the air. Memories! -- Chris and Rosie Ramsey, Founders of Shagged, Married, Annoyed.A glorious mix of writing that’s both painfully honest and painfully funny. -- Ellie TaylorThis book left me laughing so very hard and equally blubbing with tears, often within a few pages. I've never read anything that so perfectly captures the questions we all have about family and life and happiness, and that leaves you with such an uplifting finish that you want to go and hug all your loved ones harder than ever. -- Jools OliverFantastically unsmug -- Woman’s Hour

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Book Synopsis"If you're an HSP, Deborah Ward is the friend who finally 'gets' it..." - Jenn Granneman, co-founder of HighlySensitiveRefuge.com, author of The Secret Lives of IntrovertsAre you a Highly Sensitive Person? If so, you probably find the world to be an overwhelming place. You may struggle with loud, bright or busy situations; your senses are frequently over-stimulated, and you may be a true empath, feeling the pain of others deeply, putting the needs of those around you above your own.In this blend of memoir, scientific research and practical guide, Deborah Ward - author of the popular blog 'Sense and Sensitivity' (Psychology Today) - shares her journey as an HSP from childhood to adulthood. Through her experiences with over-stimulation, work, socializing, relationships and self-discovery, she uncovers the joys of sensitivity, including intellectual curiosity, empathy, compassion and creativity. Each chapter includes a list of practical suggestions that will inform, console, reassure and inspire you, helping you to better understand who you are and what you need to thrive as an HSP.It is not your destiny to live quietly, hiding in fear; nor is it your duty to try to act like everyone else. Being highly sensitive can be challenging, but it is also a gift; it is your gift.Trade Review"a helpful and clearly written guide to coping with High Sensitivity... I came away feeling enlightened and heartened" -- Julia Wood"A fascinating and inspiring read." -- Laurence French"A frank, wise and honest book... You'll feel uplifted and empowered after reading it." -- Jayne Thompson * Truity Psychometrics *This book makes one want to hug the word 'sensitive' to one's breast and never let it go. -- Barbara Allen-Williams * National Centre for High Sensitivity CIC *"A valuable book for highly sensitive people and those close to them... highly readable" -- Martin Scholtz, Consultant Psychiatrist"an excellent resource for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of what it means to be an HSP, either for themselves or for the HSP in their life." -- Jenn Granneman, co-founder of HighlySensitiveRefuge.com, author of 'The Secret Lives of Introverts'"To be sensitive is not the same thing as to be weak: books like this let us know that there are all kinds of normal." -- Hannah Walker"There is something for everyone in this book... Easy and enjoyable to read, thanks to the personal growth shared by Deborah about her own journey to empowerment as a highly sensitive person." -- Jacquelyn Strickland, Licensed Professional Counselor and Co-Founder with Dr. Elaine Aron of the HSP Gathering Retreats

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Book SynopsisIn Love and Freedom, Jorge Ferrer proposes a paradigm shift in how romantic relationships are conceptualized, a step forward in the evolution of modern relationships. In the same way that the transgender movement surmounted the gender binary, Ferrer defines how a parallel step can—and should—be taken with the relational style binary. This book offers the first systematic discussion of relationship modes beyond monogamy and polyamory, as well as introduces the notion of “relational freedom” as the capability to choose one’s relational style free from biological, psychological, and sociocultural conditionings. To achieve these goals, Ferrer first discusses a number of critical categories—specifically, monopride/polyphobia, and polypride/monophobia—that mediate the contemporary “mono–poly wars,” that is, the predicament of mutual competition among monogamists and polyamorists. The ideological nature of these “mono–poly wars” is demonstrated through a review of available empirical literature on the psychological health and relationship quality of monogamous and polyamorous individuals and couples. Then, after showing how monogamy and polyamory ultimately reinforce each other, Ferrer articulates three relational pathways to living in-between, through, and beyond the mono/poly binary: fluidity, hybridity, and transcendence. Moving beyond that binary opens a fuzzy, liminal, and multivocal relational space that Ferrer calls novogamy. In this groundbreaking book, readers will learn practical tools to not only transform jealousy, but also enhance their relational freedom while being aware of key issues of diversity and social justice. They will also learn novel criteria to evaluate the success of their intimate relationships, and be introduced to a transformed vision of romantic love beyond both monocentrism and emerging polynormativities.Trade ReviewJorge N. Ferrer's Love and Freedom is a powerful, thought-provoking book, and a very welcome addition to the literature on consensual non-monogamy, and relationships more broadly. Written in a highly engaging and well-informed style, this book contains much of interest to the academic reader while being accessible to activists and general readers as well. Ferrer provides a timely overview on the relationship literature and the ways in which monogamy and polyamory have generally been framed, before heading into binary-busting territory. The divisions between monogamy and non-monogamy, jealousy and compersion, and love and freedom themselves, are all opened up for enjoyable and important exploration and challenge. Drawing on theory and research from biological science through to Buddhist philosophy, Ferrer suggests ways in which we could all occupy more fluid and transbinary positions in relation to love, engage in contemplative practices in order to experience love differently, and cultivate relationships which enable both interconnectedness and personal freedom. -- Meg-John Barker, author, The Psychology of SexLike previous groundbreaking works that have suggested a blurring of established and cherished identity categories, Jorge Ferrer’s Love and Freedom boldly introduces the notion of “relational freedom” into the collective consciousness. The central premise of this book is refreshing: the idea that style of connection—monogamous, polyamorous, even asexual or aromantic—might not be fixed or essential personality categories, but rather stops along a long, personal road, perhaps even (for some) facets of more complicated orientations (e.g., monogamish, ambisexual, or Ferrer’s proposed frame of the fuzzy, liminal, queered relational space of “novogamy”). This provocative volume cuts across multiple politics and investments in a way that might cause both monogamous and nonmonogamous alike to clutch their pearls, and for that alone it is worth the read. -- Nathan Rambukkana, author, Fraught Intimacies: Non/Monogamy in the Public SphereI read this book with a sigh of relief and renewed energy that the study and living of consensual non-monogamies is not heading down the monogamist track of binary, division, fixity and hierarchy. All too soon social movements meant to enlarge and embrace fluidity and possibility in our intimate lives may become entrenched in having to pick a new term for one's relationship and stick to it for life. We know where that too often ends up for too many relationships in coerced monogamy, and we don’t want to repeat that in the exploration of relationship diversity across the lifespan, place, and contexts. Bring on what Jorge calls novogamy with its freedoms and ethics, its possibilities and care! -- Maria Pallota-Chiarolli, author, Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools

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Book SynopsisIn January 2012, creative writing professor and novelist Kyle Beachy published one of his first essays on skate culture, an exploration of how Nike's corporate strategy successfully gutted the once-mighty independent skate shoe market. Beachy has since established himself as skate culture's freshest, most illuminating, at times most controversial voice, writing candidly about the increasingly popular and fast-changing pastime he first picked up as a young boy and has continued to practice well into adulthood.What is skateboarding? What does it mean to continue skateboarding after the age of forty, four decades after the kickflip was invented? How does one live authentically as an adult while staying true to a passion cemented in childhood? How does skateboarding shape one's understanding of contemporary American life? Of growing old and getting married?Contemplating these questions and more, Beachy offers a deep exploration of a pastime-often overlooked, regularly maligned-whose seeming simplicity conceals universal truths. THE MOST FUN THING is both a rich account of a hobby and a collection of the lessons skateboarding has taught Beachy-and what it continues to teach him as he struggles to find space for it as an adult, a professor, and a husband.

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