Mothers on Trial: The Battle for Children and Custody

Believing that mothers and children have a natural and ""ineffable'' right to each other's company, psychologist Chesler (Women and Madness, etc.) asserts that there is a double standard in our patriarchal society that governs the rights of women, children and child custody. In part because of the ``fathers' rights'' movement, she charges, unfit fathers are now granted custody with increasing frequency. Chesler's impressively annotated, broad-based study offers a historical review of custody practices and an analysis of what constitutes ``fit'' parents, which serves as background to individual cases of worthy mothers considered unfit because of careers, impoverishment, a voluntarily unwed state or other nonstandard ways of living. Chesler castigates the distinction made between male custodial ``rights'' and female custodial ``obligations.'' She notes that millions of fathers have obtained custody by kidnapping, are often violent, average five times more income than mothers yet rarely pay child support. Joint custody should begin as joint parenting, affirms the author, in a deeply felt book that is sure to be controversial. Major ad/promo; author tour. January 13