cover image How to Stay Together When You Have to Be Apart

How to Stay Together When You Have to Be Apart

Karen Shanor. Warner Books, $9.95 (213pp) ISBN 978-0-446-38418-6

The author offers a useful, upbeat guide for couples separated by careers that is based on experience: Shanor, a psychotherapist, lives in Washington, D.C., and her husband lives in Fort Worth, Tex. Shanor advises that such relationships can be successful, providing both partners work hard at communicating. Of course, the telephone figures heavily in the struggle to stay in touch and Shanor counsels talking on the phone at least once a day and not hanging up during lovers' spats. Among the other topics covered here: how to decide if a ""commuter'' relationship is feasible, developing trust, easing the burden on children, planning expenses and dealing with loneliness. There are also many anecdotes and bits of advice from couples who have survived (and sometimes thrived on) living apart. (July)