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A Perfect Divorce
by Avery Corman
Product Group: Book
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (2005-09-01)
ISBN: 0312329849
EAN: 9780312329846
Dewy Decimal #: 813
Paperback: 288 pages
Release Date: 2005-08-11
SKU: M7226
Condition: Good
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Karen and Rob are the well-intentioned parents of a teenage son, Tommy, who believe they can avoid the emotional fallout of their failed two-career marriage. Both are successful individuals who have pursued other personal relationships since their divorce, but have managed to stay connected through their son. When Tommy goes off the tracks, his troubles send shock waves through relationships on all sides. Staggering under the weight of his parents' expectations and need for denial, Tommy risks everything—and Avery Corman turns everyday life into a brilliant page-turning drama. Not since Kramer vs. Kramer, Corman's landmark novel and the basis for the Academy Award-winning motion picture, have truths about us—about marriage, divorce and parenting—been so accurately and emotionally dramatized.
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Customer Reviews
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the spiritual sequel to "kramer vs. kramer"
Rating  (4)
Date: 2005-12-16
This novel can truly be considered to be the sequel to Kramer vs Kramer.
Why? because whereas that novel (by the same author)was the definitive story of divorce in the 70's, this one is the definitive story of divorce in the 21st century. Mr Corman is an excellent writer who conveys the complex emotions of a fractured nuclear family with thoughtful yet simple prose.
What I loved about this novel was that all of the characters- the divorced parents- their college aged son- their subsequent spouses and lovers- were three dimensional. There are no villains in this work ( the characters are more balanced than even kramer vs kramer), only real people dealing with real situations as best they can.
Since the movie rights have been sold, a note to Hollywood- This would be an excellent vehicle for a reteaming of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan...
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A wake-up call to parents and NOT regarding divorce
Rating  (3)
Date: 2005-04-08
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book made me feel sad for children with the kind of parents in this book. The parents were very worried about and disappointed in their child. If the child was mine, I would be really proud of him. He tried hard, he had 2 true friends, he was good with children, he was polite and respectful to his parents, he had good sense when it came to drugs/alcohol/sex, he had the courage of his convictions, he was nice to the step-siblings. The list could go on. Why he seemed a failure to them is beyond me. Rich NYC kids sound like they have way too much pressure on them, and I feel bad for them.
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A Perfect Divorce
Rating (4)
Date: 2005-03-04
The title of this book is a perfect oxymoron. Despite this, Karen and Rob Burrows do their best to create a good atmosphere for their son Tommy, even after their divorce. They start off with shared custody until they see that shuffling Tommy back and forth is causing a strain on him and they revert to having him live with his mother most of the time, with frequent visitation from his father. They work together to help Tommy through the aftermath of the divorce and then again collaborate to counsel their average-student son into the college application process. They keep their cool, do everything right, and are sure that Tommy is doing fine. When he goes off to college and encounters problems, they are in denial and don't want to think that their divorce has anything to do with it. Author Corman writes convincingly and sensitively about an all-too-relevant subject for today's world. A pertinent question seems to be, if these well-educated and well-grounded parents do everything right for their child and he still has problems, what is happening to families where the parents are not as well-equipped to handle trauma? My only objection to the book is a too neatly tied-up ending, but getting there was well worth the read.
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Couldn't put this book down
Rating  (5)
Date: 2004-11-12
After having heard Avery Corman interviewed about the book on a radio program, I couldn't wait to get my hands on his newest book. It was wonderful, ending with my crying tears of joy. The author did a great job in describing the process of college applications and the tension and stress it brings to parents and children, Having endured this process three times with my daughters, I recognized the familiar feelings. The divorce and the effect it had on young Tommy was written beautifully and with sensitivity. The journey from high school to college, to dropout, to success, kept me turning the pages until the end, when I needed kleenex to be able to see the print. A fine job from a gifted writer. You will not be disappointed in this book.
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A Perfect Book
Rating (5)
Date: 2004-10-23
It was difficult to top something as well done as "Kramer vs. Kramer", but Corman has done it. You've met New York parents like Karen and Rob who do their best to work out a "perfect" arrangement in the aftermath of their divorce. His writing on the effects of the divorce on Tommy stir strong emotions...his descriptions of the upper-class Manhattan lifestyles provide comic relief.
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