Why I m Still Married

Twenty-four bestselling and award-winning women writers explore one of life's most challenging and rewarding relationships.

In the spirit of the bestselling The Bitch in the House, Why I'm Still Married captures the passion, loss, joy, friendship, and humor that marks lifelong commitment through a brilliant kaleidoscope of voices, such as Julia Alvarez, Susan Cheever, Elizabeth Graver, Erica Jong, Aimee Liu, Bharati Mukherjee, ZZ Packer, and Marge Piercy.

Revealing the myriad ways in which women navigate the bumpy terrain of emotional intimacy, weather arguments and separations, adjust to parenting, avoid-or succumb to-the temptation of infidelity, and decide who does the dishes, this riveting collection is at once unique and universal, and will speak to any woman who's ever been in a long-term relationship.

Whether they're on their first marriage or their fourth, each of the 24 contributors to this thought-provoking collection has terrific stories and wisdom to share, and they all do it masterfully. "Nobody is a perfect match and we have to accept that," writes Marge Piercy, who has learned to accommodate her husband's quirks, just as he has hers. Editor Propp's husband expressed his annoyance—anger, actually—over differences so viciously that after five years she began fantasizing about leaving. Instead, she went to the Internet, read about verbal abuse and learned to stand up for herself. NPR reporter Maria Hinojosa says, "I stay married because this is the one person who understands how to help make me into a better person." You might not agree with everyone's theories—Hannah Pine defends her choice to be a mother in an open marriage—but each one deals with the real problems, and pleasures, of marriage. As editor Trounstine puts it: "[m]arriage doesn't have the excitement of the illicit or the thrill of the daredevil. It's more like the quiet hum of the everyday and the occasional surprise of the sunset.

In light of the fact that half of modern marriage end in divorce, 24 acclaimed women writers offer their marital experiences, with glorious and inglorious histories and strong prospects. These are not the formulaic prescriptions typical of women's magazines but thoughtful reflections on marriages that have endured from 1 year to 20-plus years. The collection is organized by longevity, beginning with women who have been married 20 years or more and have experienced marriage in the broader context of social changes through those married less than a year and still grappling with the adjustment of a lifelong commitment to a single other person. The contributors represent a broad cross section of ages, geography, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, and they write about balancing career and marriage, raising children, negotiating domestic responsibilities, and nurturing spouse and self. Among the contributors are Anne Bernays, Susan Dworkin, Maria Hinojosa, Erica Jong, Aimee Liu, Bharati Mukherjee, and Marge Piercy. This is an honest, engaging look at the complexities of married life and the importance of trust, respect, and humor.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Vanessa Bush

KAREN PROPP is the author of two memoirs: IN SICKNESS & IN HEALTH: A LOVE STORY and THE PREGNANCY PROJECT: ENCOUNTERS WITH REPRODUCTIVE THERAPY. Her essays, poetry and reviews and have appeared in THE WOMEN’S REVIEW OF BOOKS, LILITH, PREVENTION and PLOUGHSHARES, and she has won several grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

JEAN TROUNSTINE, author, activist, and professor, published SHAKESPEARE BEHIND BARS: THE POWER OF DRAMA IN A WOMEN'S PRISON based on her award- winning work directing plays behind bars. She has been featured on NPR, THE TODAY SHOW, and written for THE BOSTON GLOBE and WORKING WOMEN magazines. She coauthored FINDING A VOICE, coedited CHANGING LIVES THROUGH LITERATURE and has published a collection of poetry,ALMOST HOME FREE.

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