Guest Review: The Stepfamily Survival Guide

-->Guest reviewer is Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress, freelance writer and speaker, www.writingfor him.com.

THE STEPFAMILY SURVIVAL GUIDE, by Natalie Gillespie (Fleming H. Revel, 2004, $12.9) is a recommended read for families on the “stepping” journey and for those who come alongside these families. Since Ms. Gillespie decries the lack of literature on this topic, her own book, borne of personal experience and research, should find a grateful group of readers.

The honesty and transparency found in these pages will be welcome, as will the author’s acknowledgement that many dilemmas found in building healthy relationships within stepfamilies have no easy fixes or sweet solutions. Pertinent topics include dealing with custody battles, keeping the new marriage intact, and stepsibling rivalry.

Ms. Gillespie’s insights regarding the child’s eye view of remarriage following death or divorce were excellent. She asserts, and proves, that the day of a second wedding, although joyous for parents, signifies for children “all they have lost”.

The great strength of this book is the consistent conclusion that ultimately every challenge sends us back to God, the One who redeems. Especially effective is the reminder to pray that “the legacy left to your children may promote an intact family line”.I was puzzled by the book’s silence on the topic of grandparents and feel that the book’s cover does little to draw the reader. But those weaknesses are insignificant in the face of the encouragement and gentle wisdom to be gained by the reader.

Guest Review: Making the Blue Plate Special

Subtitle: The Joy of Family Legacies by Florence Littauer, Marita Littauer, and Lauren Littauer Briggs. Cook Communication Ministries, 2006. 320 pp. Reviewed by Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress, writer-speaker.


MAKING THE BLUE PLATE SPECIAL is intended to remind its readers of the great value in passing along family legacies. This book is a compilation of many stories by various writers. The stories are included in topical chapters authored and organized by Florence Littauer and her daughters. Chapter topics include holiday traditions, keepsakes, memorable meals, and family vacations. Sprinkled throughout are tips to assist readers in creating meaningful moments.


I perhaps most appreciated Marita Littauer’s foundational comments related to the importance of legacy. She moves the focus to God’s biblical plan for passing on truth through tradition, stories, and even genealogies. Her premise is that we are to be intentional about creating legacy because it gives us a sense of history and purpose.

While this book is readable enough, I had a sense of fragmentation. It covered almost too many topics. The flow and cohesiveness wasn’t accomplished as well as one might have wished. Also, the significant emphasis on collectibles gave me pause. I wondered if it might be possible to spend so much time and effort preserving the past that we clutter our present?


I did enjoy the honest, humorous transparency of Florence Littauer’s brother regarding family reunions --- as I have one coming soon. And I was glad for the continual emphasis on faith throughout the book.