by Alec Baldwin
First published 2008
Alec Baldwin survived one of Hollywood's most bitter custody battles. His marriage to Academy Award winner Kim Basinger seemed perfect for nearly ten years. They had a daughter, Ireland, and appeared to embody the ideal celebrity couple. Then everything fell apart. Their 2000 separation led to a brutal 2002 divorce that dragged on for years in the media spotlight. Baldwin found himself trapped in a system that seemed designed to crush noncustodial parents, especially fathers. He watched judges, court-appointed therapists, and lawyers feast on family destruction while children suffered. Now he exposes what he calls the "family law industry" and its devastating impact on parents and children. Baldwin argues that the current system needs complete reform. He offers practical advice for parents facing similar battles and makes a case for changing how America handles divorce and custody. This book combines his personal story with a broader critique of family courts that fail the families they claim to protect.
Genres: family-life, non-fiction, biography-memoir, divorce, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-story, social-commentary
Setting: Hollywood
Period: 2000s
224 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin's Press