Help! I'm a Military Spouse--I Want a Life Too!: How to Craft a Life for YOU as You Move with the Military [Paperback]

Kathie Hightower (Author), Holly Scherer (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 28, 2005

Often military spouses say: 'I love my spouse, I'm super proud of - and support - my spouses' service to our country. . .and still I struggle with how to make this military life work for me.' This book helps you learn how to make this life work for you as you support your spouse. This is not a book about being the perfect military spouse. It's about what you can do to make this military life work well for you based on who you are as a unique individual. - Learn how to keep your energy and joy up, your stress down, and apply the research done on happiness to your very own unique military life. - Based on many years of interviews with spouses from all services, here's how to go from surviving to thriving in this challenging but very enriching lifestyle.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This great resource is full of practical advice, as well as real-world examples that will empower spouses to have lives of their own while supporting their partners in the military lifestyle." -- Ellie Kay, author of Heroes at Home: Help and Hope for America's Military Families --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

Reader comments about the first edition of Help! I'm a Military Spouse

"Its down-to-earth tone made me feel as though I was reading a letter from one of my girlfriends. I was amazed at its depth and scope. It isn't another "bible" for hosting coffees and teas, or how to employ proper etiquette. Rather, it speaks of embracing various opportunities to craft your own inimitable life as opposed to waiting for the "perfect" assignment, next PCS move, or for your spouse to retire before pursuing your dreams." --Charlotte Wilson, Army spouse, Ft. Knox newspaper review

"I devoured your book, highlighter in hand! I would tell you how necessary your inspiring words are in our community, but I suspect you already know that. I will have to buy copies for all of my friends and I can't wait to get started on my dream board." --Jenny Sokol

"The exercises were thought provoking and really worked! I have already begun to see positive changes within my own life just from completing this book. I cannot say enough good things about this book!" --Caren A. Stewart, Ft. Lewis, WA

"The book is funny, inspirational and shows you that there is a way!!!! Since I've read Help! I'm a Military Spouse GREAT things have been happening for me! Go out and get this book now!" -- Nikki C. Thomas, Ft. Rucker, AL

"I read the book from cover to cover in two days (which is quite a task with four kids and a part-time job!)! I believe that every command should present this book to their service members' wives when they marry as well as offer it through Family Team Building Offices worldwide!!" -- S. Ealy "Domestic Goddess", Iwakuni, Japan

"I had this book sit on my shelf for several weeks before I opened it to read, because for some reason I couldn't get past the title. Once I turned past the title page I found the book to be one the best on the market today for military spouses because it is full of possibilities for this lifestyle with resources, ideas, stories of other military spouses who have made this lifestyle work for them. I have read this book and have turned down pages, underlined key points, made notes in the margins and a list of references to share with others." -- Roz Riley, Army spouse

"One resonating theme throughout the book is that the "perfect military spouse" is a myth. Let's all take a deep sigh of relief. Military life is what you make of it. We are encouraged to go for our dreams, find the keys to happiness, learn to accept help and more. Every military spouse should read Help! I'm a Military Spouse, I Want a Life Too. It is a great resource and will empower spouses around the world." -- Review by Carrie Lee Gissiner, National Military Family Association

"...To say that I read the book would be a serious understatement: I devoured it! The plain truth is that Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer have compiled the most comprehensive text for how to successfully navigate through the military world while keeping the better part of your identity intact." --- Therese Mancevski at Associated Content.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (June 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419607103
• ISBN-13: 978-1419607103
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,638,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical tips and a sense of humor - a very useful combination, November 4, 2005

By 

Dorothy J. Wilhelm "Military wife, widow, mother" (Tacoma, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Help! I'm a Military Spouse--I Want a Life Too!: How to Craft a Life for YOU as You Move with the Military (Paperback)

There has never before been a book like this for military spouses. Fifty years ago, as an Army bride, my husband presented me with a copy of a book called The Army Wife. It was full of such intimidating, impossible rules that I nearly hit him with it.
Now comes Help! I'm a Military Spouse just crammed full of help, encouragement and practical tips. Just a glance at a few of the hundreds of headings - "Start your Heart's Desire File" "Get Help for Your Dreams" "Ask for Help, Offer Help, Accept Help in these Challenging Times." All of these tell ou that here is a chance to stretch out and reach for a life that is uniquely your own while still living up to the challenges of a military life. Holly and Kathie, just one question. Where were you fifty years ago, when I needed you?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Self-help Book for Military Spouses, October 28, 2006

By 

W. H. McDonald Jr. "The American Author Assoc... (Elk Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Help! I'm a Military Spouse--I Want a Life Too!: How to Craft a Life for YOU as You Move with the Military (Paperback)

Authors Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer have crafted a military family resource book that comes at a time when this kind of self-help literature is greatly needed. Their book "Help! I'm a Military Spouse - I want a Life Too" is the best book of its kind on the market today. There is no military spouse or family that could not use their book of advice. This book takes on real concerns and issues that face modern military families. Although this book deals mainly with issues related to female spouses (Only 6% of military spouses are male) I think some of the information contained could apply to both genders.

This book is about taking positive actions as a way to make the most out of the situations a spouse finds in the military environment. I would think that reading this book and taking one of their workshops (that they give throughout the country) would enable the reader to become more self-reliant and to gain more control over some other parts of their lives. (Obviously, military families have little control over huge parts of their lives - so in their own personal spheres of influences it becomes important to follow their heart and find all the possibilities where ever they may be.)

The book is written well by the authors who take us a journey of learning with antidotes and small personal comments from the authors to highlight some of the points being made in the book. This book is well edited and is laid out to make it easy for people looking for information.

This book is an upbeat, proactive approach to life and I fully endorse the message and advice they dispense through out the pages. This is a MWSA 5 Star Rated Book! It is a must buy book for all military families! There is much gold within these pages for spouses to find! This is best book of its genre - period!!!

MWSA's 2006 Silver Medal Award for Reference

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help I'm a Military Spouse, September 30, 2005

By 

margaret blackwell (Germantown, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help! I'm a Military Spouse--I Want a Life Too!: How to Craft a Life for YOU as You Move with the Military (Paperback)

Excellent Book for anyone-Military Spouse or someone who just wants or needs an action plan for their life. Personal accounts that make this book real life for everyone. Highly recommend!