The Husbands and Wives Club, Laurie Abraham
The Husbands and Wives Club, Laurie Abraham
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The Husbands and Wives Club
A Year in the Life of a Couples Therapy Group

Author: Laurie Abraham

Narrator: Laural Merlington

Unabridged: 11 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 03/16/2010


Synopsis

Starting in spring 2006, journalist Laurie Abraham sat in with five troubled couples as they underwent the searing process of group marriage therapy. Published as "Can This Marriage Be Saved?" the resulting article generated intense reader response. While space limitations allowed Abraham to focus only on one couple in her article, this book, which grew out of it and the reaction it inspired, tells the moving, fascinating story of all five.

Writing with the narrative dexterity of a great novelist, Abraham recounts the travails, triumphs, and reversals that beset the five couples as they work with their therapist—and each other—to find out whether they can attain the satisfaction in marriage they originally sought. At times wrenching, at times inspiring, the sessions bring out the long-hidden resentments, misunderstandings, unmet desires, and unspoken needs that bedevil many an imperiled couple. At the same time, these encounters provide road maps to reconciliation and revival that can be used by anyone in a relationship. Along the way, the author draws on her explorations of philosophy and literature, on Freudian theory and modern science, to decode the patterns and habits that suggest whether a troubled marriage will survive or die. The fact that the five couples are ultimately successful makes this not only an important look at the state of marital dysfunction in America today but a reaffirmation of the enduring bonds of love.

About Laurie Abraham

Laurie Abraham is a freelance writer, senior editor of Elle magazine, and the author of Mama Might Be Better Off Dead: The Failure of Health Care in Urban America. Formerly the executive editor of Elle, she has written for New York magazine, the New York Times, Mother Jones, and many other publications. Her work is also included in Best American Essays 2006, as well as the original collections The Bitch in the House, Maybe Baby, and The Secret Currency of Love. Laurie has bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Northwestern University and a master's in law from Yale University.


Reviews

Goodreads review by A.gasior on October 01, 2010

I was hoping this book would provide me with some great insight into what I can do to make my marriage function better and improve my own level of satisfaction within it. I thought maybe I'd save my husband and I the hassle and cost of going to couples therapy. I thought that by reading this book I......more

Goodreads review by Dawn on January 18, 2011

For me, this book was too much about the history of different couples therapy theories and not enough about the couples actually in the group. An attempt was made at character development, but, really more from a reporting eye than a plot device to make the story richer, deeper.......more

Goodreads review by Kelly on August 28, 2012

Reading partly like a history of couples therapy and partly like a voyeuristic reality show, this MaryRoach-esque book was a true pleasure to read! Abraham sifts through the psychobabble to find real gems from current and historical research to share with the reader, who is meanwhile finding pieces o......more

Goodreads review by Jeff on July 09, 2010

A book that chronicles a year of couple’s therapy with some couples out of Pennsylvania. Really, really interesting look into therapy and couples problems, and made me realize, yet again, how lucky I am to have a wife like Ann. So very, very lucky. A good read for sure, one of those books that gives......more

Goodreads review by Kim on August 29, 2010

Being completely single, not even dating, and never married, one would think a book about group couples therapy would be an odd choice. But it was FASCINATING and ended up solidying my life choices in my mind. But I suspect there's something in this for everyone -- five couples to choose from to ide......more