Although they reportedly go together like a horse and carriage, the two are not
inevitably entwined. These books offer advice and praise for coupledom—on getting there, staying there and learning from experiences that just didn't work out.
The 7 Best Things (Happy) Couples Do... and MoreJohn C. Friel and Linda D. Friel. Health Communications, $12.95 paper (320p) ISBN 1-55874-953-5Family therapists Friel (The 7 Worst Things (Good) Parents Do) give tips for a healthy relationship. With their usual wit and incisiveness (and plenty of real-life examples from their years of clinical practice), the authors explain key psychological principles that underpin successful partnerships and also probe the unscientific element of "magic" that happy couples report. They describe how to avoid common pitfalls and nudge readers toward a better understanding about how early experiences influence romantic relationships. This is a useful resource for anyone in a relationship—be it a healthy or an unhealthy one. (Mar.)
