I have a friend in an abusive relationship, are there any gentle, possibly even fiction books that she could read to gain insight into her situation?

[AitchTwoOh]

i don't think it's a 'men are bastards' publication i'm after, just something that gently explores how the drip-drip effect of low-level abusive behaviour can eat away at a person's confidence.

did maya angelou write on this subject? i have a vague recollection that she did, although i haven't read her books in decades. anyway, something like that. (also something that won't make DH suspect something's changing if he sees her reading it).

any suggestions?

Might be some suggestions for resources here

Gosh, i have read so many books on this subject, far too many to mention on here. But i found mine on amazon.co.uk. I just put relevant words in the search facility and it brings up all the books you need on the subject. I love amazon!!
Also, it helped me to have a spare book cover of a different topic, i.e. cookbook which i put around the book i am reading. DP might wonder why my cooking never improves but never suspects a thing on the relationship front

If i remember a particular good book i will pop back and post it.

thanks dino. funnily enough, they are mostly for people who are at a stage of accepting that they are in an abusive relationship, but i just don't think my friend is there yet. that's why i was thinking that a work of fiction might be good. (plus, if he saw it he wouldn't think anything of it, iykwim?)

women who love too much should be very helpful. It definately got me out of my abusive relationship. hth

I haven't read it, but one that always gets mentioned on threads about emotional abuse is called something like "Why does he do that" and is written by Lundy Bancroft, I think.

Anna Maxted did a book called Getting Over It in which one of the main characters is a woman in a abusive relationship but that's not mentioned on the back of the jacket or anything. It's fairly chick-lit but does explore the issue quite seriously.
And the bastard gets his come-uppance in the end!
Good luck x

I don't think he would click if he saw "women who love too much". you could buy it give it to the kids to chew on say you just read it and thought she might find it interesting.

I've just finished reading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver which features a terrifying, control freaky husband and father. Might be a possible?

oh i loved the poisonwood bible, dino. i wonder if it would be too long, though, she's all a bit up in the air at the moment. i'll have a look at thoe others, thanks.

It is quite a chunky read, isn't it. Hmmmm.

this is the one i had some of the others have different covers hth

that looks great, thanks. also it's interesting to see what the other recommended books were on that amazon list. i don't want to scare her off, you see.

the woman who walked into doors by Roddy Doyle

oh gawd i wept buckets at that, pif. good one.