1001 Questions to Ask Before You Get Married
by Monica Mendez Leahy
(McGraw Hill, $14.95 paper)
We didn’t count them up, but we’ll take Monica Mendez Leahy’s word that she is giving us 1,001 questions. Relatives, pets, vacation plans, finances, sex and kids are just some of the topics she probes.
1. One thing that changes as we get older is our religious view. When discussing religious attitudes with your partner, think about whether yours would change if your living circumstances did.
2. Look for a partner, not someone to be dependent upon. That means don’t marry to provide a dad or mom for your kids, to gain financial stability, to avoid being alone or to find someone to take care of you.
3. Marrying a criminal? Statistically, those marriages are seldom successful. But Leahy offers 25 questions (“How many pen pals does your partner have?”) to help you decide whether to marry someone who fought the law and didn’t win.
4. Ex-relationships can never be obliterated. Leahy likens them to tattoos. “Even when you don’t see them, you know they’re there.”
5. You and your partner should compare lists of your Top 10 annoyances (e.g., “unflushed toilets”).
