Friday, October 27, 2017

Lost in the Reflecting Pool


Lost in the Reflecting Pool: a memoir by Diane Pomerantz. Berkeley: She Writes Press, 2017. 320 pages. *****

Dr. Pomerantz proves that it doesn't matter how educated a person is, it is easy to get drawn in by a manipulative person. Even though she is a psychologist and her intuition tells her that Charles has issues with his parents he should have worked out by now, she marries him anyway. The book begins by describing how Charles deals with an annoying cat from the previous owner and right away, I wanted to tell her to take the kids and run. Dr. Pomerantz is very adept at denying to herself and others how she and the children are treated especially when she is diagnosed with cancer and her husband becomes annoyed with rather than supportive of her experience. He is jealous that her family and friends rally around her and makes himself unavailable by having an affair with one of his patients, risking his medical license and financial security.

In this psychological memoir/thriller, it is easy to see that while dealing with day-to-day challenges, Dr. Pomerantz feels helpless in her situation. This book will serve as a wake-up call to many who are abused to seek assistance, set boundaries, and to protect themselves by having complete access to joint assets. Her husband is always stressing about finances, however, Dr. Pomerantz seems to have no idea how much money they have and how their income is spent. While some of her recollections seem unbelievable in her retelling, they ring true in the horrifying details and her feelings of rejection and isolation. This is a book that will not easily be forgotten and will hopefully raise awareness of narcissistic, abusive behavior. With the help of her father Dr. Pomerantz is able to escape, but for many others, that is not an option. Book Clubs should consider this as a group read based on the many topics (adoption, spousal abuse, cancer, fertility issues, etc.)  for discussion.

I received a copy for a review. I am reading and reviewing Memoirs for the Magic of Memoir blog tour through BookSparks. The four books (including this one) have been some of the best memoirs I have read in awhile. I recommend all of them even if memoirs are not your usual genre.



Two more to finish, check back for those reviews.

For more than thirty-five years, Dr. Diane Pomerantz has been a practicing psychologist, teacher, supervisor, and speaker in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Dr. Pomerantz has published articles on topics of childhood trauma and personality development. This is her first book. She has two grown children and lives in Maryland with Rug, her shaggy dog.

@BookSparks #MagicofMemoir @dianepomernatz #bookmail


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