The Secret Currency of Love. Edited by Hilary Black. Part 2.

Here is a summary of some of the stand-out essays from The Secret Currency of Love:

In "For Richer or For Poorer," Marisa Belger writes about coming to terms with the responsibility of being the primary breadwinner. Her husband's unemployment was a huge stress, but by weathering the storm, their marriage survived and her husband was able to get back on his feet.

"A Tale of Two Bank Accounts" addresses the dilemma surrounding the shared responsibility for expenses incurred when married/living with someone. Household expenses are rarely split 50/50 between partners and Ann Hood gives an affecting account of her experiences with this issue.

Joni Evans' "Love and the Bottom Line" sheds light on the application of "equitable distribution" laws to divorce proceedings in NY in the 1980s.

In "The Wages of Love," Lucy Kaylin finally lets go of the purse-strings and gives her husband an opportunity to manage paying the bills and investing the money. She credits the impending birth of their first child with catalyzing his transformation from haphazard spender to great provider.

Amy Sohn recognizes that she is her frugal father's daughter in "The Cheapskate."

Elizabeth Williams' "My Brother's Keeper" is a must-read for those who have friends/family members who constantly need to borrow money.

Leslie Bennetts' "The Price of Admission" will probably be a favorite amongst those of you with children in private school or in college.

One of my favorite essays was "A Change of Fortune," Susanna Sonnenberg's letter to her son Ezekiel. She attempts to answer his question, "Are we rich?"

Bliss Broyard's "Rich Little Poor Girl" was interesting...I'll leave it at that.

I strongly recommend reading this book...and passing it on to your sister or close friends.