The Second Time Around: Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Remarriage Happy

Everyone knows that half of all marriages end in divorce. But it's also true that 75% of those who have married once marry again, and that ""40% of all marriages are a remarriage for one of the adults involved."" Given these figures and the increasing life span of Americans, it is no surprise that ""sequential monogamy"" is fast becoming commonplace; many people believe it's more ""natural"" than the traditional one-marriage-per-lifetime. Kelley and Burg surveyed hundreds of remarried people, most in their second (some in their third and fourth) matrimonial unions, to uncover their common issues, problems and solutions. Perhaps because the authors are writers, not therapists (Kelley, author of Why Men Stray, Why Men Stay, is in a 10-year second marriage), they turn over most of the text to brief quotes from survey respondents and a handful of family and marriage-counseling professionals. Their conversational style makes for fast, easy reading as they offer practical advice on a wide range of topics, including the importance of spending time on oneself before entering a new relationship, financial independence, prenuptial agreements and difficulties with children and ex-spouses. Upbeat and encouraging, Kelley and Burg cheer the common strengths of remarrieds--maturity, independence and self-awareness--which they believe make second-timers far better at matrimonial life. This timely manual provides constructive, accessible guidance through the complex maze of recoupling. (Sept.)