Sacred Cows

The Truth about Divorce and Marriage

About the book

Sacred Cows: The Truth About Divorce and Marriage

Sacred Cows: The Truth About Divorce and Marriage

by Danielle Teller, M.D. and Astro Teller, Ph.D.

Drs. Astro and Danielle Teller know better than most that finding the right partner in life doesn’t always happen the first time around. Through their own divorces they learned how widely held cultural assumptions and misinformation that nobody thinks to question—what they refer to as “sacred cows”—create unnecessary heartache for people who are already suffering through a terrible time.

Do you think, for example, that the divorce rate in the United States is rising? Or that children are harmed by divorce? Most people do, but it turns out that neither of these notions is supported by the data. Combining the rigor that has established them as leaders in their respective fields along with a dose of good-natured humor, the Tellers ask readers to take a fresh look at seven common sacred cows: the Holy Cow, the Expert Cow, the Selfish Cow, the Defective Cow, the Innocent Victim Cow, the One True Cow, and the Other Cow. This is not a book that is “for” marriage or “for” divorce, ... Read More

Meet the Cows

A sacred cow is an idea that society does not allow to be questioned or criticized. The sacred cow is considered to be important for social stability, and challenges to the sacred cow threaten society’s sense of security and cohesion. Similarly, the Sacred Cows of Marriage and Divorce are ideas designed to keep unhappy couples married. Just as with other sacred cows, these ideas are so deeply ingrained that most of us are only vaguely aware of the ways in which they affect our thinking.

The Holy Cow

The Expert Cow

The Innocent Victim Cow

The Selfish Cow

The Defective Cow

The One True Cow

The Other Cow