Mixed Feelings

Her relationship with her older brother motivated Klagsbrun ( Married People ) to undertake this illuminating study of the complex sibling bond--which, she contends, is as influential as the parent-child bond in all aspects of adult life. Basing her conclusions on more than 100 interviews with families of two or more siblings from a wide variety of backgrounds and regions, Klagsbrun further maintains that the nature of a person's sibling ties--whether between younger or older, same or opposite sex, stepsibs or half-sibs--affects his or her choice of spouse, friends and competitive or dependent behavior in parental, work or social rapports. And while distance, change or disruption of the family climate by parental or sibling conflict, addiction, incest and death may damage the ``invisible thread'' that binds siblings, she concludes that this thread may, and often is, restored in later life. (Aug.)