Jane Isay

In 2004 Jane Isay left her job as Editor-in-Chief at Harcourt Trade Books to embark on a new career as a writer. Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents is the result.

Her new book is Mom Still Likes You Best: The Unfinished Business Between Siblings. From a Q & A at her website:

What made you decide to write about siblings?

I kept hearing bits and pieces of difficulties with brothers and sisters from the people I interviewed for Walking on Eggshells. I began to notice that many people feel that they don’t have good enough relationships with their siblings, and this is a source of worry and concern. Over time I came to see that this is another part of our lives where pain is accompanied by silence, and so there’s no relief. I wanted to see if I could understand more about the dynamics of closeness and distance, by listening to sibling stories.

Was writing your second book a different experience?

I understood the stages of writing such a book, from listening, to germinating, to drafting and rewriting. And I knew that it would be possible for me to complete the task. But this book was more difficult to write because it took a long time to understand the core of sibling relationships. So I spent days and days struggling with the issues and feeling less than smart. Then a wise friend said to me: “It’s when you feel stupid that you’re doing you best thinking—you are at work solving the puzzle.”

Read the complete Q & A.

Visit Jane Isay's website.

--Marshal Zeringue