Second Wives: The Silent Struggle [Paperback]

Christine Thomas (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0964035456 | ISBN-13: 978-0964035454 | Publication Date: March 1999

Peppered with quotations from second wives from coast to coast, this conversational and often funny book looks at the plight of the second wife in today's world.

From stereotypes of trophies, bimbos and homewreckers to often grueling day-to-day struggles of modern stepmothers, SECOND WIVES is an honest and thorough book about an important issue that affects millions of women. Lively writing and personal reflections touch on important circumstances, such as the blended family, the biased court system, the plight of the divorced father, the financial ramifications of child support orders and the deep feelings that millions of women share but never discuss.

Politically incorrect and fearlessly honest, the book examines phenomena affecting today's second wives, including the ex-wife from hell, the deadbeat mom, and even the challenges facing second wives in their golden years.

Above all, it is a call to arms. With more than 50 Internet resources and plenty of! information about advocacy groups across the country, SECOND WIVES implores readers to reach out and help change the sorry state of domestic relations.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Chances are, every other woman you meet is a second wife....

From the Back Cover

"You mean she's dead? Hit by a truck?"

"Oh, yes, she's gone."

"Oh, my god. Oh, my god! I've fantasized about this day . . . ."

What would it be like? If his ex-wife was simply gone one day-zapped!-out of your life?

But you can't think that way, can you? You're a law-abiding, hard-working good woman who copes with his ex-wife day in and day out. Only in your loneliest and most desperate moments do you allow yourself to fantasize about her demise.

Here, between these covers, are the thoughts and feelings of second wives who are enduring the same trials and troubles that you know so well: The stereotype of the stepmother and the plight of the divorced father; the ex-wife-from-hell; the blended family; the biased divorce courts.

You're not alone. As you read, you'll find yourself recognizing the propaganda and nodding your head in agreement with the courageous words of all the second wives who share their experiences, feelings, regrets, and dreams in these pages.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Christine Thomas (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964035456
• ISBN-13: 978-0964035454
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,991,438 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great info for second wives, January 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Second Wives: The Silent Struggle (Paperback)

I found the excerpts intriguing, although questionable at first. After reading the entire book, I realized that the author was promoting the position that the second wife holds in our society. Although some parts are bold and forthright in the expression of opinions, at least it doesn't beat around the bush, so to speak.

We all have our opinions and it's good to read a book in which people's (especially those of second wives) opinions are expressed and honored. After all, opinions are not always politically correct, they are the voices of our feelings and experiences.

I enjoyed it and even though I disagreed with what a few women said, I felt it portrayed the experience of second wives everywhere honestly and fairly.

Second wives everywhere will discover that they are not alone. Stepmothers especially will realize that it's okay not to like those "little imps" who invade your household.

It should be required reading for those women who are dating or engaged to divorced men and wondering what their life will be like.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Unfair, October 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Second Wives: The Silent Struggle (Paperback)

I'm sorry, but I think this book is very unfair. I just married a man who is divorced with 3 children. His ex-wife does cause a lot of the same problems talked about in this book. But this book seems to focus totally on the ex-wife being a total ***. I thought it would focus more on the feelings you go through being a second wife and how to deal with stepchildren. I was very disappointed. It made it sound like everything is the ex-wife's fault. I don't believe that to be true. A marriage takes two people to work at it. It's never just one or the other. The failure of my husband's first marriage was a combination of the both of them. Now of course his ex doesn't believe that to be true, and she takes every opportunity to remind him of that. But she cannot be to blame for all of the problems. Life is what you make it. This book paid entirely too much attention to the ex-wife. It was very disappointing.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some really great advice, August 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Second Wives: The Silent Struggle (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I couldn't put it down until I finished it...in about 4 hours! I found the information about the First wife not getting the "REAL" divorce to totally (and finally) help me pinpoint what was the psycho-ex-wife-from-HEll's problem! Great information for us Step mothers. HOWEVER, it did not cover enough information for those of us that have custody of our step kids. It assumed a little too much that 95% of all mother's have custody of our kids (okay, that's actually right, since I do have custody of my son from my first marraige). But I didn't like how there was just so little information about father's having custody. Overall, I really enjoyed the information that I did get out of this book and it really related well to my situation.