How do we make our families last and flourish when so many lie broken around us?

The Art of Family by Gina Bria With this heartfelt question, Gina Bria, author of The Art of Family (Dell), voices the deepest concerns of parents in today's busy, complex, and high-pressure world. The mother of three children, Gina considers personal identity to be defined not by what we do or the roles we play, but by the quality of our relationships, which begin at home. In this simple and powerful book, she argues that the key to our children's growth, as well as our own, lies in the balance between being present for our children and keeping our own passions alive. In brief, self-contained essays, perfect for reading while on hold or just before bed, Gina covers: The importance of having rituals, from special ways a birthday is celebrated to those of a religious nature The necessity of play in the lives of children and adults The needfulness of creating a home that is a refuge, as well as a place where family members recharge before returning to the outside world The Art of Family offers a refreshing change from most parenting how-to books that list ways to spend “quality time” with your children. In essence, Gina writes about how to assign particular and special meaning to the everyday tasks that make up our home life and. in so doing, building a family that can withstand the daily barrage of conformity, rejection, consumerism, and disillusion. For a copy of the book, please contact Gina at ginabria@aol.com

“Bria stresses the importance of having fun, playing games together, nursing relationships...and, above all, finding infinite pleasure in the most mundane rituals of everyday life.” --New York Daily News "A humorous, wise, and beautifully written reflection on the sacredness of family relationships and on the particular elements that nourish spiritual awareness in family life." --Library Journal "Anthropologist Gina Bria looks at the ritual of modern families, including step-families, and provides tools to build a rich family culture.” --Big Apple Parent

Gina Bria is an anthropologist and affiliate fellow at the Center for the Study of Young Children at Columbia University. She is a teacher at the St. Thomas School in New York and is a consultant to The Interfaith Group, whose objective is to introduce Jewish and Christian theology to children in families with both traditions. Her essays on family life and culture have appeared in the New York Times, Catholic Digest, Working Mother, and the Mars Hill Review. Her talk on Place, Community, and Memory appears on Mars Hill Audio. She lectures to groups around the country. Contact Gina at ginabria@aol.com.