The author of Walking on Eggshells turns her wisdom to the sometimes heartbreaking but always meaningful bond between brothers and sisters—a must-read for anyone blessed with the gift (or burden) of a sibling. There’s a myth out there that good relations between brothers and sisters do not include conflict, annoyance, disagreement, or mixed feelings. Isay believes this is a destructive myth, one that makes people doubt the strength of the connection with their siblings. Brothers and sisters may love and hate, fight and forgive, but they never forget their early bonds. Based on scores of interviews with brothers and sisters young and old, Mom Still Likes You Best features real-life stories that show how differences caused by family feuds, marriages, distance, or ancient history can be overcome. The result is a vivid portrait of siblings, in love and war. --- from the publisher Reviews: “Isay observes sibling dynamics with a psychologist’s eye while forgiving transgressions between brothers and sisters with a mother’s heart.”
—Ira Byock, M.D., Professor, Dartmouth Medical School and author of Dying Well
“Here is human understanding offered by a wise and thoughtful and clinically savvy writer who helps us take notice of how we get on with one another as boys and girls, brothers and sisters—a Tolstoyan observer, with keen intuition and a compelling command of the art of storytelling, helps us readers look back, look inward, and thereby understand how we become who we are.”
—Robert Coles, M.D., professor of psychiatry and medical humanities at Harvard Medical School and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book series Children of Crisis "If you have a sibling, you'll see yourself in this inspiring book. Isay's observations are keen enough to make you see your mistakes, kind enough to let you forgive yourself, and hopeful enough to make you want to put the book down and call your sib right away."
—Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out and The Curse of the Good Girl
“Jane Isay's lively exploration of the sibling relationship in all of its complicated varieties is both incisive and benevolent, offering the reader new ways of understanding, repairing, and sometimes even transforming this profoundly important human connection.”
—Judith Viorst, author of I’m Too Young to Be Seventy and Other Delusions
“In Mom Still Likes You Best, Isay explores the unknown territory of adult sibling relationships—both the best and the worst of them. Her keen observations of adult brothers and sisters and her fresh and profound ideas about this terra incognita give readers an opportunity to laugh, cry, identify, and, ultimately, to love their siblings more deeply."
—Mary Pipher, Ph.D., author of Reviving Ophelia “Finally, a long overdue mapping of sibling relationships across the life span and how the passionate alliances and painful competitions of early childhood shape our adulthood. Of special interest are the changes that occur when siblings marry and later, when siblings gather to support their aging parents. A lively and revealing account of intimate family life which touches us all. Highly recommended.
—Judith Wallerstein Ph.D., family researcher and author of The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce "This is a very thoughtful and helpful book, one enhanced by anecdotes and images but offering no easy answer. There is much to savor here."
—Library Journal
Praise for Walking on Eggshells:
"The stories are heartwarming, and Isay recounts them with intelligence and compassion." —Publishers Weekly, starred review "Ms. Isay's portraits have nuance and pathos and there is much to learn from." —The New York Times "Achingly honest." —O, The Oprah Magazine About the Author: Jane Isay has been an editor for over forty years. She discovered Mary Pipher’s Reviving Ophelia and edited such nonfiction classics as Praying for Sheetrock and Friday Night Lights. She lives in New York City, not too far from her children and grandchildren.
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