Helpful Books

What books were helpful to you when you were becoming single again? I know that I couldn't read very much for a while. Suddenly, all the novels I had been reading seemed irrelevant. I dropped out of my book club. I just couldn't hang out with all my married friends and discuss literature anymore.

I had no idea how to get divorced, particularly without ruining my kids which was my foremost concern. I had not talked to many people yet about the demise of my marriage, but needed some direction. The Good Divorce by Constance Ahrons served as a survival guide in those first few months. Ahrons introduced me to the term "binuclear family" as an option to "broken home." Divorce, Ahrons explains, doesn't end your family, it redefines it.

Although not related to divorce or grief recovery, the first book that I read in a year was a collection of humorous essays by an Arizona writer named Laurie Notaro. Her first book, the Idiot Girl's Action Adventure Guide had me laughing so hard tears were rolling down my face. She helped me break the ice on my reading freeze.

Again, not a divorce recovery book, but Anne Lamott's Plan B was also inspiring and relieving. Her newest book, Grace Eventually, is a great example of how to view the accumulation of all your bad decisions and good intentions.

What have you read that was helpful?