The Bitch in the House: 26 Women Tell the Truth About Sex, Solitude, Work, Motherhood, and Marriage

Rating:
Summary: Not What I Expected
Review: Although I was expecting interviews with a variety of women from various backgrounds and occupations, and this turned out to be a book of essays by women writers, I wasn't too disappointed.

The essays address various subjects of interest to women: getting married, not getting married, having children, jobs, being overweight...most of them were very well-written even if I didn't care for the content of a couple of them. The story by the woman whose husband had "affairs" (and she also did, to help keep the score even, I suppose) turned my stomach. Although she claimed to be happy, it was plain to see that she was miserable. That's no way to live...and she planned to have a baby soon? Wake up, lady. Apparently she was so ashamed of her lifestyle she wouldn't even use her real name. Then the story of the thirty year old wacko who became pregant by a married man (who rubbed her belly, and told her they "did good"), and ran home to Mommy and Daddy when she was 8 months pregnant because she knew she "needed someone to take care of her". This immature grown woman then continued to mooch off of her parents until her child was a toddler. Her friends were surprised that she was happy and relaxed during this period - well of course she was - she didn't have to worry about money, child care, or a job. Wonder woman did not bother to ask for child support from her baby's daddy because it was "her" decision to have the baby - she forgot that's money that is owed her daughter by her biological parent - she shouldn't expect her child to be supported by grandparents. I doubt the writer of this essay would have been able to handle her financial situation if she hadn't had mommy and daddy to fall back on. I wonder how her boyfriend's wife felt or if she ever found out he had a child outside of their marriage.

But other than these two bozos, most of the women were thoughtful and intelligent. True, I couldn't relate to the lady who was relieved when they finally had enough money for her to go back to work and she could hire a nanny/housekeeper who made all the difference in the world....these essays are mostly about mental struggles, not financial ones.

Overall, entertaining....now someone needs to put together a book about the ordinary women and their thoughts on these matters.