cover image For Better, for Worse

For Better, for Worse

Susan Squire. Doubleday Books, $22.95 (377pp) ISBN 978-0-385-41475-3

Parenthood undeniably reshapes a marriage, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Squire ( The Slender Balance ) here documents the changes experienced by five couples as they progress from the early stages of their pregnancies through the first postpartum year. While all live in the eastern U.S., the couples, whose identities are disguised, are diverse. Michael and Sarah, from rural New England are expecting their second child; Sam and Juliet live in New York City, where he is a well-known lawyer; Alex and Rob both have careers in sales, hers the more successful; Maria and Joe are Hispanic and adhere to traditional values, although both work outside the home; Erin and Tom are middle-class suburbanites from blue-collar Catholic families. In brief, present-tense entries, Squire provides glimpses into each couple's daily life as the pending or recent birth raises issues relating to religion, sex, career advancement, finances, the possibility of divorce and, in the case of two couples, premature and traumatic delivery. Although it often seems invasive, this account is immediate and compelling. (Apr.)