THE DIVORCED WOMAN'S HANDBOOK: An Outline for Starting the First Year Alone

An ""outline,"" yes, but little more. Checklists at the end of each chapter reinforce this skeletal approach--lists of things that the new divorcee should ""do,"" more than explanations of how to go about doing them. For the woman who has been completely dependent on hubby to balance the checkbook or plug the leaks, this is perhaps some kind of jumping-off spot; there are only a few paragraphs about income tax, for instance, but they do tell what records to keep, and then advise seeing a qualified tax consultant. The pointers on home and car may spook some readers completely; in an effort to make women safety-conscious, the author tends to sound as if burglars and would-be assailants lurked everywhere--in the garage, at traffic lights, whenever your phone rings unanswered (solution: smother it with pillows). Then, too, a transfer of dependence is too quickly encouraged; a snow removal service is mandatory, we are told, because ""your back and heart are just as likely to go out as a man's."" Finally, the book often abandons its own ""practical"" premise to stray into the psychological realm: don't feel guilty about the kids, they'll be better off now; don't be afraid to compete for promotions as men always have. For the most sheltered only--and only till they get their feet wet.