Description:
In the preface to their collection of photos and personal essays, authors Ruth and Rachel Sandweiss express their desire to "shed light on human relationships in a way that brings us all together." Indeed, the words expressed by the twins featured herein offer insight into the human dilemmas of communication and forgiveness. Twin Aldo Andretti celebrates his brother Mario's car-racing victories, all the while admitting that he wishes it could have been himself, because he also raced as a young man. In another example, twin brothers struggled together to survive the Holocaust, using their inherent sense of teamwork to persevere. Conjoined twin girls develop amazing coordination and cooperation in moving together, yet affirm their individuality in their differing interests and personalities. Some twins work and live together; others enthusiastically support each other in different careers from different sides of the country. The subject of companionship comes up frequently, and how twins relate to a spouse or lover coming between them. For some, "breaking up" with their twin is a continual difficulty, or an experience they have never allowed to happen. For others, the closeness and support of their twin relationship has allowed them to develop intimacy in other relationships. Whatever the specifics, these open and thoughtful essays convey that twin relationships, like so many human relationships, may be complicated and fraught with tension, but are also filled with love. --Gilia Angell
| 
