The Secret Life of Families: Truth-Telling, Privacy, and Reconciliation in a Tell-All Society

Secrets come in all shapes & sizes. And they are built on a complex web of shifting motives & emotions. This book describes how to maintain a balance between candor & caution to ensure that secrets remain a creative force in our lives. It helps us understand: the distinction between healthy privacy & toxic secrecy; what to tell -- & not to tell -- young children; why adolescents need to have some secrets -- & where to draw the line; the role of gender, race, religion, & class in shaping our secrets; the effect of "official" secrets, like sealed adoption records & medical testing; what to consider before revealing an important secret; & much more. First-person stories.Evan Imber-Black is the author of 'The Secret Life of Families: Truth-Telling, Privacy, and Reconciliation in a Tell-All Society' with ISBN 9780788194795 and ISBN 0788194798.