For Richer for Poorer

The alarming rate at which marriages break up in the USA has made divorce as a subject a compelling one. Moreover, the fate of women during and after divorce is being documented by sociologists and feminists; it is common knowledge that a man's standard of living goes up after divorce, whereas a woman's plummets. Given that the incidence of divorce among lower-class and minority women is higher than for any other group, it is surprising that almost no attention has been given to divorce as it is experienced by black and white, working, and middle-class women. This text presents the experiences of divorced mothers in their own words. Chapters look at how and why marriages end; how women cope with divorce based on their race and class backgrounds; how these factors affect the degree to which women are successful in rebuilding their lives after divorce; battles for child support and involvement of divorced fathers.