Money Demons

Explores the potentially devastating impact financial concerns can have on one's personal relationships and life, explaining how to recognize and eliminate problems. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo. Lit Guild & Doubleday. First serial, Good Housekeeping. Tour.

The injured ego of a husband whose wife earns more than he is one of the most common money-related marital casualties indentified here by psychotherapist Forward ( Toxic Parents ). Written "for and about women" because the "unfortunate fact" is that they are often "the only ones willing to do the emotional work" to improve a relationship, this helpful, analytical guide seeks to assist in reducing conflicts in a relationship--many of them resulting in sexual dysfunction. Assisted by film writer-producer Buck, Forward points out that couples may unwittingly use money as a psychological weapon to control or punish, causing fear and resentment that explode in violent fights masking unconscious emotional "money demons." Chapters dealing with self-depriving women, compulsive gambling and the "money-reckless" man (spends money he "deserves" to have) conclude with self-help strategies. First serial to Good Housekeeping; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Forward, the best-selling author of Betrayal of Innocence (LJ 5/15/92), turns her attention to women who have difficulty maintaining healthy relationships because they can't manage money. She predicates her argument on the idea that when couples fight over money, they are actually fighting about deeper emotional and psychological problems. Forward documents her claims with case studies involving gamblers, compulsive shoppers, self-depriving women, and women who enable financially irresponsible men. Her case studies are a bit self-serving, and she loses credibility by time and again placing the blame on each subject's mother or father. Despite this "blame everyone but the woman" approach, Forward is popular among self-helpers, and libraries with popular psychology collections may want to purchase a copy.
Jennifer Amador, Central State Hosp. Medical Lib., Petersburg, Va.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.