Brothers, Sisters, Strangers: Sibling Estrangement and the Road to Reconciliation

Fern Schumer Chapman is the author of several award-winning books, including Motherland, which was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Her work has appeared in many publications including the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Washington Post, Fortune, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, she has taught magazine writing and other seminars at both Northwestern and Lake Forest College.

A warm, empathetic guide to understanding, coping with, and healing from the unique pain of sibling estrangement"Whenever I tell people that I am working on a book about sibling estrangement, they sit up a little straighter and lean in, as if I've tapped into a dark secret."Fern Schumer Chapman understands the pain of sibling estrangement firsthand. For the better part of forty years, she had nearly no relationship with her only brother, despite many attempts at reconnection. Her grief and shame were devastating and isolating. But when she tried to turn to others for help, she found that a profound stigma still surrounded estrangement, and that very little statistical and psychological research existed to help her better understand the rift that had broken up her family. So she decided to conduct her own research, interviewing psychologists and estranged siblings as well as recording the extraordinary story of her own rift with her brother--and subsequent reconciliation. Brothers, Sisters, Strangers is the result--a thoughtfully researched memoir that illuminates both the author's own story and the greater phenomenon of estrangement. Chapman helps readers work through the challenges of rebuilding a sibling relationship that seems damaged beyond repair, as well as understand when estrangement is the best option. It is at once a detailed framework for understanding sibling estrangement, a beacon of solidarity and comfort for the estranged, and a moving memoir about family trauma, addiction, grief, and recovery.

DESPERATELY NEEDED BOOK: Although recent research suggests that nearly 20 percent of the population has an estranged family member, there have been no major books about sibling estrangement in the last 10 years.BECOMING A MORE PREVALENT TOPIC: A spate of recent news articles about family estrangement, some inspired by Meghan Markle's estrangement from her father, have brought the topic to the forefront of people's minds. (See the NYT's "Debunking Myths About Estrangement" and Refinery29's "The Difficult Reality Of Being Estranged From Your Family," among others.)HAPPY ENDING: The dark subject matter is offset by the author's own personal story, which takes us through not only the specifics of sibling estrangements but a successful reconciliation, giving hope to readers.AUTHOR HAS TRACK RECORD IN WRITING ABOUT FAMILY TRAUMA: Fern has written several books examining the psychological legacy of children who are separated from parents at a young age and the effect of those early-life traumas on subsequent relationships.