This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage and Started My Life
by Lyz Lenz
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A deeply validating manifesto on the gender politics of marriage (bad) and divorce (actually pretty good!) in America today, and an argument that the former needs a reboot—from journalist and proud divorcée Lyz Lenz“This American Ex-Wife is a bomb, a bouquet (but not a wedding bouquet), a memoir, a manifesto, and a total joy to read.”—Rebecca Solnit, author of Men Explain Things to Me
Studies show that nearly 70 percent of divorces are initiated by show more women—women who are tired, fed up, exhausted, and unhappy. We’ve all seen how the media portrays divorcées: sad, lonely, drowning their sorrows in a bottle of wine. Lyz Lenz is one such woman whose life fell apart after she reached a breaking point in her twelve-year marriage. But she refused to take part in that tired narrative and decided to flip the script on divorce.
In this exuberant and unapologetic book, Lenz makes an argument for the advantages of getting divorced, framing it as a practical and effective solution for women to take back the power they are owed. Weaving reportage with sociological research and literature with popular culture along with personal stories of coming together and breaking up, Lenz creates a kaleidoscopic and poignant portrait of American marriage today. She argues that the mechanisms of American power, justice, love, and gender equality remain deeply flawed, and that marriage, like any other cultural institution, is due for a reckoning. A raucous argument for acceptance, solidarity, and collective female refusal, This American Ex-Wife takes readers on a riveting ride—while pointing us all toward a life that is a little more free. show less
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*well-written, informative novel
*easy to read and kept my interest from cover to cover
*educational - a powerful learning experience
*highly recommend
*easy to read and kept my interest from cover to cover
*educational - a powerful learning experience
*highly recommend
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5+ Works 340 Members
Lyz Lenz has been published in the New York Times, Buzzfeed, the Washington Post, and other publications. Her book Belabored: Tales of Myth, Medicine, and Motherhood is forthcoming. She also has an essay in the anthology Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture edited by Roxane Gay. Lenz holds an MFA in creative writing from Lesley University show more and is a contributing writer to the Columbia Journalism Review. show less
Awards and Honors
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Classifications
- Genres
- Sexuality and Gender Studies, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction, Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 306.89 — Society, government, & culture Social sciences, sociology & anthropology Social Behavior - Dating, Marriage, Divorce Marriage, partnerships, unions; family Divorce, dissolution, annulment, separation
- LCC
- HQ834 .L44 — Social sciences The family. Marriage, Women and Sexuality The Family. Marriage. Women The family. Marriage. Home Divorce
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 145
- Popularity
- 225,625
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.88)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 2
