Loving the Self-Absorbed: How to Create a More Satisfying Relationship with a Narcissistic Partner

Rating:
Summary: Life's too short
Review: This book does an admirable job of validating what anyone who's been in close consort with someone with NPD already knows. It's also laugh-out-loud funny! It describes scenarios that the "experienced" will recognize immediately. Then it tells us how to 'cope'; how to create and don emotional insulation, etc. The question then becomes, "Why would anyone want to do this?" Life's about choices. If you're trying to come to a "decision" about remaining in a relationship with a narcissist, then this book will let you know what you'll have to do to try to keep some sanity! It gives no "advice" but, having been there, I will - "run like hell and never look back".

Rating:
Summary: Helpful
Review: This book might have been better titled Living With the Self-Absorbed. Sometimes a person must live with or continue to have a relationship with a self-absorbed person, and this book is very helpful in that aspect. It is extremely difficult to love someone who is capable of loving only him or herself, but this books presents ways to live and deal with this person without losing one's sense of self. There are exercises provided that can also help the reader improve their own relationship skills, not only with the self-absorbed, but with others as well. The most effective way to deal with the self-absorbed is not to have to deal with them at all. If that is not an option, this book is worth reading to help the reader keep his or her perspective and reality intact, which is a challenge when living with the self-absorbed.