Top 15 in Parenting & Relationships
Week of July 20, 2026

by Andrea O'Reilly
In the last decade, the topic of motherhood has emerged as a distinct and established field of scholarly inquiry. A cursory review of motherhood research reveals that hundreds of scholarly articles have been published on almost every motherhood theme imaginable. The Encyclopedia of Motherhood is a collection of approximately 700 articles in a three-volume, A-to-Z set exploring major topics related to motherhood, from geographical, historical and cultural entries to anthropological and psychological contributions. In human society, few institutions are as important as motherhood, and this unique encyclopedia captures the interdisciplinary foundation of the subject in one convenient reference. The Encyclopedia is a comprehensive resource designed to provide an understanding of the complexities of motherhood for academic and public libraries, and is written by academics and institutional experts in the social and behavioural sciences.

by John Grogan
The film Marley & Me, based on Grogan's memoir, starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston was released in theaters on December 25, 2008.

by Henry Cloud
Henry Cloud and John Townsend provide a series of learning programs that encourage knowing the Biblical basis for establishing relationships.

by Jean Améry
On Aging, the first of Jean Amery's books after At the Mind's Limits, is a powerful and profound work on the process of aging and the limited but real defenses available to those experiencing the process. Each essay covers a set of issues about growing old. ""Existence and the Passage of Time"" focuses on the way aging makes the old progressively see time as the essence of their existence. ""Stranger to Oneself"" is a meditation on the ways the aging are alienated from themselves. ""The Look of Others"" treats social aging - the realization that it is no longer possible to live according to one's potential or possibilities. ""Not to Understand the World Anymore"" deals with the loss of the ability to understand new developments in the arts and in the changing values of society. The fifth essay, ""To Live with Dying,"" argues that everyone compromises with death in old age (the time in life when we feel the death that is in us). Here Amery's intention, as encapsulated by John D. Barlow, becomes most clear: ""to disturb easy and cheap compromises and to urge his readers to their own individual acts of defiance and acceptance.""

by Andrea Lissette
A comprehensive guide to recognizing and dealing with domestic abuse and violence, this book outlines six different types of domestic abuse and provides a practical checklist of actions that can be taken to get out of the situation. 55 charts. 20 worksheets.
by Daniel Mendelsohn
My octogenarian dad wanted to study Homer's epic and learn its lessons about life's journeys. First he took my class. Then we sailed for Ithaca. When eighty-one-year-old Jay Mendelsohn decides to enroll in the undergraduate Odyssey seminar his son teaches at Bard College, the two find themselves on an adventure as profoundly emotional as it is intellectual. For Jay, a retired computer scientist who sees the world through a mathematician's unforgiving eyes, this return to the classroom is his "one last chance" to learn the great literature he'd neglected in his youth--and, even more, a final opportunity to more fully understand his son, a writer and classicist. But through the sometimes uncomfortable months during which the two men explore Homer's great work together--first in the classroom, where Jay persistently challenges his son's interpretations, and then during a surprise--filled Mediterranean journey retracing Odysseus's famous voyages--it becomes clear that Daniel has much to learn, too: Jay's responses to both the text and the travels gradually uncover long-buried secrets that allow the son to understand his difficult father at last. As this intricately woven memoir builds to its wrenching climax, Mendelsohn's narrative comes to echo The Odyssey itself, with its timeless themes of deception and recognition, marriage and children, the pleasures of travel and the meaning of home. Rich with literary and emotional insight, An Odyssey is a renowned author-scholar's most tr

by Sarah M. S. Pearsall
The growth of the Atlantic world led to the separation of many families. Sarah Pearsall explores their lives and letters, revealing the sometimes shocking stories of those divided by sea, and argues that it was these transatlantic bonds-much more than the American Revolution-that reshaped contemporary ideals about marriage and the family.

by Janusz Korczak
These two works belong to that group of books written by one of this century's fiercest and most devoted child advocates. In the first, Korczak uses fiction to reveal the joys and sorrows of a child, a ten-year-old, juxtaposing them against the feelings of an adult as they both react to two days of adventure spent together. Two prominent themes in his writing are the exploration of the place of children in an adult world and the examination of the treatment and regard children are accorded in that world. In his second book, Korczak spells out his 'Magna Charta Libertatis' in defense of the child's right to respect, right to be him or herself, and, most importantly, right to respect for the strenuous effort expended in the process of 'growing up.'
by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD
BOOKS FOR A BETTER LIFE AWARD WINNER • An enlightening guide to how infants, toddlers, and children learn and why play is the key to enhancing your child’s development—now revised and updated with a new chapter on the impacts of screen time “An authoritative, up-to-date playbook on why we should raise our children to be learn-it-alls, not know-it-alls—plus practical advice on how parents can do that!”—Angela Duckworth, New York Times bestselling author of Grit “A breath of fresh air for moms, dads, and childcare professionals.”—Steven Pinker, Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and New York Times bestselling author of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows In Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, award-winning early childhood development experts Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, PhD, show how parents can help their children succeed while reducing the pressures they both face. They offer a compelling message for today’s parents: rather than invest in expensive enrichment programs and “educational” apps and toys, the best way to boost brainpower and interpersonal skills is to let children play. In fact, free and guided play is a better way for kids to learn and for parents to enjoy their children. Drawing on overwhelming scientific evidence, Hirsh-Pasek and Golinkoff explain how learning works from a child’s point of view. They address how kids pick up key mathematical concepts, acquire language, develop a sense of self, and more. Th

by Deepak Chopra
There is nothing inevitable about aging--that is the inspiring message from Dr. Deepak Chopra. "Once again Dr. Chopra presents us with information that can help us live long, healthy lives. For all those interested in a long, full life, this book is a valuable resource."--Bernie Siegel, M.D., author of Love, Medicine and Miracles Over 1.5 million copies sold. National bestseller. Line drawings.

by Adele Faber
“This parenting book actually made me a better parent.”—Lydia Kiesling, The New York Times From #1 New York Times bestselling authors, the ultimate “parenting bible” (The Boston Globe)—a timeless, beloved book on how to effectively communicate with your child. This bestselling classic by internationally acclaimed experts on communication between parents and children includes fresh insights and suggestions, as well as the author’s time-tested methods to solve common problems and build foundations for lasting relationships, including innovative ways to: · Cope with your child’s negative feelings, such as frustration, anger, and disappointment · Express your strong feelings without being hurtful · Engage your child’s willing cooperation · Set firm limits and maintain goodwill · Use alternatives to punishment that promote self-discipline · Understand the difference between helpful and unhelpful praise · Resolve family conflicts peacefully Enthusiastically praised by parents and professionals around the world, Faber and Mazlish’s down-to-earth, respectful approach makes relationships with children of all ages less stressful and more rewarding.

by Thomas S. Langner
"This book is written for academics and professionals in psychology, psychiatry, sociology, philosophy, and politics, and is also relevant to a wide general readership."--BOOK JACKET.
by Robert E. Emery Ph.D.
A paradigm-shifting model of parenting children in two homes from an internationally recognized expert. A researcher, therapist, and mediator, Robert Emery, Ph.D., details a new approach to sharing custody with children in two homes. Huge numbers of children are affected by separation, divorce, cohabitation breakups, and childbearing outside of marriage. These children have two homes. But their parents have only one chance to protect their childhood. Building on his 2004 book The Truth About Children and Divorce and a strong evidence base, including his own research, Emery explains that a parenting plan that lasts a lifetime is one that grows and changes along with children’s—and families’—developing needs. Parents can and should work together to renegotiate schedules to best meet the changing needs of children from infancy through young adult life. Divided into chapters that address the specific needs of children as they grow up, Emery: • Introduces his Hierarchy of Children’s Needs in Divorce • Provides specific advice for successful parenting, starting with infancy and reaching into emerging adulthood • Advocates for joint custody but notes that children do not count minutes and neither should parents • Highlights that there is only one “side” for parents to take in divorce: the children’s side Himself the father of five children, one from his first marriage, Emery brings a rare combination of personal and professional insight and guidance for every parent raising a child

by Danielle Trussoni
"From her father, Danielle Trussoni learned to rock and roll, outrun cops, and never to shy away from a fight. She spent her childhood sitting by his side at Roscoe's Vogue Bar, listening hour after hour as he told unforgettable tales of his adventures as a Vietnam tunnel rat. Far from home, as the war exploded, Dan Trussoni had risked his life crawling through intricate tunnels, designed by the North Vietnamese, where he searched for prisoners. Danielle took in every syllable of what he told her. And, as her family's life grew harder and more complicated, she came to realize that when the man she loved more than anything hurt her or her mother, or drank too much, or beat up strangers, it was because of what he had seen down there, what he thought he could just leave behind." "But Dan's war followed their family, changing them every step of the way. Eventually Danielle's mother gave up and asked Dan to leave their home. All of the children stayed with her, except one: Danielle. When most of the world washed its hands of Dan, his daughter would not. She could never let him go. Studying him like a history book, she came to understand that the war that had come between her parents and altered her family's life had changed many American lives, on and off the battlefield." "In Falling Through The Earth, Danielle Trussoni tells the all-American story of a family's war and peace and all that lay in-between. This is the story of a family forever altered by forces not under their cont

by Christie Tate
A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK AND INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Often hilarious and ultimately very touching.” —People “Have you ever read a book that made you want to hug the author?” —Reese Witherspoon “This unrestrained memoir is a transporting experience and one of the most startlingly hopeful books I have ever read.” —Lisa Taddeo, New York Times bestselling author of Three Women The refreshingly original debut memoir of a guarded, over-achieving, self-lacerating young lawyer who reluctantly agrees to get psychologically and emotionally naked in a room of six complete strangers—her psychotherapy group—and in turn finds human connection, and herself. Christie Tate had just been named the top student in her law school class and finally had her eating disorder under control. Why then was she driving through Chicago fantasizing about her own death? Why was she envisioning putting an end to the isolation and sadness that still plagued her despite her achievements? Enter Dr. Rosen, a therapist who calmly assures her that if she joins one of his psychotherapy groups, he can transform her life. All she has to do is show up and be honest. About everything—her eating habits, childhood, sexual history, etc. Christie is skeptical, insisting that that she is defective, beyond cure. But Dr. Rosen issues a nine-word prescription that will change everything: “You don’t need a cure. You need a witness.” So begins her entry into the strange, terrifying, and ultimately life-changing world o