The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives: 27 Women Writers on Love, Infidelity, Sex Roles, Race, Kids, and More [Paperback]

Autumn Stephens (Editor), Marilyn Yalom (Preface)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 2006

Some marriages are made in heaven, and others, quite frankly, are not. This anthology collects the private reflections of 25 well-known women writers, some of whom speak under the liberating cloak of anonymity. They reveal the truth about their marriages, their divorces, and sometimes, their decisions to remain single. The essays here chronicle the highs and lows of romantic relationships, the ebb and flow of love and desire, and the many alternatives to traditional matrimony. With topics ranging from infidelity and true love to orgasms, children, career power struggles, race issues, and aging, these are stories that empower women to make sense of their own lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stephens, editor of the Wild Women books, gathers tales of married and single life from women writers of varied romantic backgrounds: still married, twice married, and divorced. The writers address subjects ranging from infidelity, infertility to cross-cultural marriage. With titles such as "Eight Sizzling Sex Secrets to Keep Your Marriage Strong," "My Marriage Is a Joke" and "Another Traditional Arab-Jewish Iowa Potluck," a light sense of humor steers the collection away from being too macabre. A few authors choose to write anonymously, which works to allow literary freedom, but also suggests a shameful tone in a volume that promises a "no-holds-barred" narrative of married life. Cleverly written, the essays put a spin on the typical women's magazine topics and connect the individual stories to universal marital problems, appealing to every married or committed woman.
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Review

The essayists' writing styles vary as much as their tales of "wedded" life, this book is a patwork delight. -- Fore Word

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (June 9, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193072263X
• ISBN-13: 978-1930722637
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #481,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Potent Anthology..., August 15, 2006

By 

Liam S. Ball - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives: 27 Women Writers on Love, Infidelity, Sex Roles, Race, Kids, and More (Paperback)

Ouch! Suicide! Infidelity! Monogamy? Bereavement... These are some of the issues touched upon by the voices of women in this no holds-barred anthology. I'm a guy, but I've been struggling with a non-monogamous relationship, and have taken some comfort in the un-censored stories of real-life relationships described by some of the authors. It's pretty cool to hear confessions of infidelity from a woman's point of view. The material presented is a welcome anti-dote to the innumerable myths about how "normal" relationships are supposed to be. I really like the diversity of point of view in this collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "This book is not for the faint-hearted.", September 19, 2006

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All Too Soon "Avid Reader" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives: 27 Women Writers on Love, Infidelity, Sex Roles, Race, Kids, and More (Paperback)

That's how this book starts. From that sentence forward, you will sit glued to your seat reading - mezmerized, shocked, enthralled - unable to tear yourself away. You will be haunted by the women and their stories. Short bios of the writers are included in the back of the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great read!, September 15, 2008

By 

Jennifer Okumura "florijen" (Alhambra, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives: 27 Women Writers on Love, Infidelity, Sex Roles, Race, Kids, and More (Paperback)

having just celebrated my first wedding anniversary, i am just beginning to realize how life changing marriage really is. this book helped me understand that the issues that i am having aren't weird, but have happened to other people and everyone deals with them in their own ways. :) after all of these stories, i don't feel like there is something seriously wrong with me or my marriage. it's just things that happen... and the way you face them makes you who you are. this is an excellent book that i recommend for anyone married or thinking of getting married. it really opened my eyes.