MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS

Not a primer on impending divorce, but a sympathetic survival manual for the families of alcoholics. The perspective that Janet Woititz gleaned from years of couseling alcoholics' families is sound enough; what's lacking here is the kind of relentless specifics that would flesh out the perspective. Nearly half the material describes the typical traits of alcoholics--assumed for purposes of simplicity to be husbands and fathers--as well as the likely responses of wives and children. Again and again the stress is on Alcoholics Anonymous' position that alcoholism is a disease, and that families should focus their anger on the situation rather than on the person. Also encouraged are behaviors that outsiders might deem heartless: not standing between the drinker and his drink, since he must hit some kind of bottom before he can want sobriety; and allowing him to feel the full consequence of his actions, without cover-ups, excuses, or sweeping away of debris: Generalities are particularly rife in sections dealing with ways for beleaguered wives and children to become ""healthy"" themselves--dealing with reality, not lies; talking it out at Al-Anon or Alateen; preparing to deal with violence or interrupted sleep, etc. For the desperately alone, a place to begin.