Eye-opening essays by esteemed writers about the rich and complicated lives of American stepfamilies. With the U.S. divorce rate hovering around 50 percent, most people recognize remarriage as a now-familiar occurrence. And remarriage often means stepfathers, -mothers, -brothers, and -sisters, and the formation of a new type of blended family. Jacquelyn Mitchard, Barbara Kingsolver, Roxana Robinson, Susan Cheever, and others share experiences of being stepdaughters, stepmothers, or ex-wives. Andrew Solomon writes about his relationship with his stepmother. Kate Christensen celebrates the stepfather who brought guidance to her life. There are essays from writers in the same family, each with a different take on his or her postnuclear situation: Phyllis Rose discusses her second husband's qualities as a stepfather, while her son, Ted Rose, writes about his tumultuous relationship with his stepbrother from his own father's remarriage. These poignant, heartfelt, sometimes biting tales remind us of the outdated myth of the perfect nuclear family while shedding light on what it means to forge relationships with stepfamily members.Esteemed writers including Jacquelyn Mitchard, Barbara Kingsolver, Roxana Robinson, and Susan Cheever present poignant, heartfelt, sometimes biting tales about the outdated myth of the perfect nuclear family and shed light on what it means to forge relationships with stepfamily members.Anne Burt's writing has appeared in publications including Salon.com and Parenting. She was awarded Meridian Literary Magazine's 2002 Editors' Prize in fiction. She lives with her husband, daughter, and stepdaughter in Montclair, New Jersey.
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