A Three Ring Marriage : Beyond Dysfunction to a Dynamic Family Life [Hardcover]

Brian Wachtendorf (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2010

Brian Murray-Wachtendorf had a dream that one day he would live in a world free of abusive parents and the dysfunction caused by alcoholism, where children are cherished as the wealth of a family. This dream was not only for him, but for all children. Brian spent his formative years in the housing projects of Little Rock, Arkansas. From there he moved from school to school, foster home to foster home, and learned to survive by his wit and determination. Through the deepest valleys of despair to the summits of emotional exaltation, his story underscores the resiliency of the human spirit. Brian is a survivor of incest, horrible abuse, and the resulting self-indulgence and destructive behavior, but he was always aware there was a "better way." Beginning at an early age Brian saw what was wrong, and instead of saying, "I can't," he said, "I will."A Three-Ring Marriage: Beyond Dysfunction to a Dynamic Family Life also explores Brian's unorthodox family of two wives and seven children with candor and enlightenment. Regardless of a person's belief system, background or family structure, there is something in this book for everyone. Anyone who has ever asked, "do I make a difference?" should read this book. As he shares his discoveries in this poignant story of personal and family development, we find there is a little touch of Brian in us all.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Murray-Wachtendorf was born in the early sixties to alcoholic parents in Little Rock, Arkansas. After a tumultuous childhood, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1982 he enrolled at the University of Central Arkansas where he received his Bachelor's. Following more rough times, Brian made his living as a professional and award-winning photographer for 10 years. Married for sixteen and fourteen years to two beautiful spirited women, Brian lives with his two wives and seven children in a magnificent log home they built themselves on a farm in Texas. Brian works as a behavior specialist with emotionally disturbed children in the public school system, and speaks often to young and old alike about the ailments of the modern family.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 181 pages
• Publisher: Robert Reed Publishers; 1 edition (January 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931741018
• ISBN-13: 978-1931741019
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,308,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars sad blatherings of a misogynistic redneck con man, September 24, 2007

By 

Perry W. Chamberlain "canoe man" (Mojave Desert, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Three Ring Marriage : Beyond Dysfunction to a Dynamic Family Life (Hardcover)

This sad, poorly written ramblings, of a white trash red neck pseudo intellectual, self inflated polygamist.
This creature was the lead character in a reality show about the sordid life of his poor sad wives and children.
It creeps me out to think that I actually put money in his disgusting pockets.
His life has fallen apart, all the kids have left him, his two other wives hit the road after coming to their senses.
Please don't buy this book, thus rewarding this creepy lizard of a human being.
His kids have myspace accounts discussing how they hate him, and are afraid to be alone with him.
Google his name before you reward him for mentally abusing his wives and children by buying this trash.
yeeech, I need a shower after thinking about this freak.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A tribute to narcisism and sexism, June 27, 2007

By 

Wanda Torres "wandatorres" (Middletown, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Three Ring Marriage : Beyond Dysfunction to a Dynamic Family Life (Hardcover)

The author has not proven his claimed education and degrees. His "holistic" website was bashed on an Internet blog because of dubious content, and now it merely has pictures of his smiling face and a farmhouse.

This individual is merely exploiting his lifestyle and wives for a meal ticket. And, on a side note, I honestly hope you're not keeping a Shepherds puppy mill for profit too!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Can you give a book zero stars?, October 1, 2007

By 

C. Bedell "bioluv98" (Bakersfield, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Three Ring Marriage : Beyond Dysfunction to a Dynamic Family Life (Hardcover)

I borrowed this book from a friend because I was interested in the complex relationships at play in polygamy. Unfortunately, the book was a long, laundry list of bad experiences that the author had been through. One would hope that having been through such horrible experiences and manipulation by love, that the author would choose not to perpetuate the cycle of abuse. As evidenced by the book and the television special, the author didn't learn much. I'm glad I didn't buy the book.