SEPARATE WAYS: Relationships, Divorce & Independence of Mind

Goldmann, former teacher, decorator and restorer of historical homes, is best known for receiving the largest divorce settlement ever. In 1998, she was awarded $43 million from ex-husband Robert Goldmann. The court recognized her contributions as an equal partner in helping to build his business. Interestingly, the divorce itself was not particularly acrimonious. The couple had been married for more than 30 years and had one child. Goldmann had worked happily on her own but always saw herself as an "adviser" and "partner" to her husband's business. The two drifted apart as he buried himself in work, while she looked forward to a different routine in retirement. Goldmann found attorneys whom she trusted and she was very specific in giving them details about her contributions to her husband's business. In fact, she urges readers to maintain a "marital diary" or record of responsibilities and duties related to parenting, working with a spouse, etc. This brief book intersperses chapters about the author's marriage and divorce settlement with chapters about her childhood in Rochester, N.Y., with her close-knit Ukrainian family. The author clearly wants other women to benefit from her experiences and offers specific advice on finding attorneys, keeping records, making financial decisions, etc. The personal perspective distinguishes this from other books on divorce, but Goldmann's affluence and the size of her settlement make her situation unusual. (Feb.)