What Were You Thinking?

High-profile divorce attorney Barondess' book on marriage and its loyal partner, divorce, is not for romantics. Don't want to get divorced? Don't get married. But, "if you insist that the road down perceived marital bliss is a journey that you must embark upon," Barondess cautions, think of your future spouse as (what else?) a car, perhaps even a used car. Celebrity-penned essays conclude each of the 13 chapters, and though they're entertaining, some readers might be hesitant to take marriage advice from, say, Donald Trump or Gene Simmons. Barondess' informed and occasionally raucous examination of the institution is cheaper than consulting a divorce attorney or hiring a wedding caterer, and is well-worth a look before doing either.