Unraveled

April 18, 2005
Housden found motherhood a continual struggle. She yearned to be the dutiful and diligent wife her demanding husband, Claude, wanted. When their second child, three-year-old Hannah, developed cancer, Housden's dreams of a perfect life vanished. Hannah's death soon after the birth of Housden's third child provoked a renewed desire to rectify her marital problems, and she and Claude had a fourth baby. But the wounds of Hannah's death hadn't healed for either parent. And then Housden (Hannah's Gift
) met writer Roger Housden and found joy for the first time in years. She divorced Claude and allowed him primary custody of their children, believing that would allow her to be a more loving, attentive mother. Housden's emotional tale alternates between past and present, exploring her choices and revealing her determination to succeed as a writer. Throughout, Hannah's influence over Housden is palpable, and the sections relating to Hannah have the most resonance. With a stronger sense of self, Housden moved cross-country to live with Roger, visiting her children on weekends. Housden's poignant, raw book has no easy answers for life's difficult moments, but her bravery will soothe those enduring similar trials. Agent, BG Dilworth.

May 1, 2005
In the best-selling "Hannah's Gift" (2001), Housden recounted her young daughter's battle with and death from cancer; here, she delves into the painful aftermath, which hinged on her decision to divorce her husband and relinquish primary custody of her older children to him. Many people condemned her for an act that they saw as "unnatural," but she explains that it was the right thing for her to do; she found her true self, true love, and the courage to be "a different kind of mother." Although the melodramatic quality of the writing detracts from the story, it's a compelling one nevertheless. For all recovery memoir collections.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.