Robin Norwood - Women Who Love Too Much

Table of Contents

If you constantly find yourself loving men you want to change, WOMEN WHO LOVE TOO MUCH is for you.

- Houston Chronicle

Acclaim for Robin Norwoods empowering #1 bestseller

An extraordinary self-help book that reads like a page-turning thriller...

This beautifully written, intelligent book can help women break the

pattern of foolish love.

- Los Angeles Times

A message so compelling that those readers who see themselves in

the book may well be inspired to follow [Norwoods] 10-point recovery

plan... Norwood conveys the authority and sensitivity of a sister

sufferer.

- Philadelphia Inquirer

Even if youre not a woman who loves too much, the book is a reminder

that we indeed make our lives and that love is supposed to be a happy

event.

- Boston Herald

How to distinguish between unwise loving and healthy loving is what

Norwood sets out to do... Every woman, no matter how healthy her

relationships with men may be, may see a bit of herself f in this book.

- Star Publications

Books by Robin Norwood

Women Who Love Too Much

Letters from Women Who Love Too Much

Daily Meditations for Women Who Love Too Much

( illustrated by Richard Torregrossa)

WHY: A Guide to Answering Lifes Toughest Questions

Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin

a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

New York

JEREMY P. TARCHER/PENGUIN

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,

Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Canada Inc.)

Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England

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Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England

Copyright 1985 by Robin Norwood

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not

participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Published simultaneously in Canada

Most Tarcher/Penguin books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchase for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, and educational

needs. Special books or book excerpts also can be created to fit specific needs. For details, write Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Special Markets, 375 Hudson

Street, New York, NY 10014.

ISBN : 978-1-101-22241-6

http://us.penguingroup.com

Version_4

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of

publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after

publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author

or third-party websites or their content.

The author would like to thank the following authors and organizations for their permission to reprint: Victim of

Love, by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Don Felder, and J.D. Souther, 1976 Red Cloud Music, Cass Country Music,

Fingers Music, and Ice Age Music. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. My Man, English lyrics by

Channing Pollock. Copyright 1920, 1921 (renewed 1948, 1949) by Frances Slabert. Used by permission of CBS

Feist Catalog, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Last Blues Song, by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Copyright

1972, 1973 Screen Gems - EMI Music Inc. Used by permission. All Rights Reserved. Good Hearted Woman,

written by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Copyright 1971 Hall-Clement Publications (c/o The Welk Music

Group, Santa Monica, California 90401) and Willie Nelson Music Co. International Copyright Secured. All Rights

Reserved. Used by permission. The Bleeding Heart, by Marilyn French. Copyright 1979. Reprinted by

permission of Summit Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Shes My Rock, by S.K. Dobbins. Copyright

1972, 1975 by Famous Music Corporation and Ironsides Music. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Beauty and the Beast, from Perraults Complete Fairy Tales. Published by Dodd, Mead & Company. Stanton

Peele quote excerpted from a broadcast over University of Minnesota Public Radio Station KUOM, When Love Is

the Drug, broadcast in 1983.

Acknowledgments

Laura Golden-Bellotti

Rereading my words, now a quarter of a century old, I feel again your guiding hand page by page. Your keen

editorial instincts and warm encouragement of a first-time author immeasurably boosted my confidence and

credibility. You polished this book so that it shines. Thank you, Laura.

Piper Norwood

To my darling daughter, best friend and now research assistant as well, deepest thanks from your computer-illiterate

mom (who likes being that way) for bringing the resources section into the twenty-first century. I couldnt have done

it without you. Love and thanks to you, Piper.

Serafina Clarke and Brie Burkeman

With impeccable professionalism, exacting attention to detail, good humor, encouragement and friendship youve

represented me and my work while untying the Gordian knot, strand by strand. Im grateful to be in such good

hands. Many thanks, ladies.

Everyone at Pocket Books

To all of you who over these many years have done your very best for me and this book, my deepest thanks. Youre

a great team and Im fortunate to have you doing all that you do on my behalf. Thanks, everybody.

My Readers

So many of you have written telling me how youve used this book to change the way you live. What a gift your

letters about your recovery have been. Theyve enriched my existence beyond measure. Youre what its all about.

My thanks to you.

Preface

When being in love means being in pain we are loving too much. When most of our conversations with intimate

friends are about him, his problems, his thoughts, his feelingsand nearly all our sentences begin with he... , we

are loving too much.

When we excuse his moodiness, bad temper, indifference, or put-downs as problems due to an unhappy childhood

and we try to become his therapist, we are loving too much.

When we read a self-help book and underline all the passages we think would help him, we are loving too much.

When we dont like many of his basic characteristics, values, and behaviors, but we put up with them thinking

that if we are only attractive and loving enough hell want to change for us, we are loving too much.

When our relationship jeopardizes our emotional well-being and perhaps even our physical health and safety, we