BOOK REVIEWS
“Diane Pomerantz has added an epilogue and afterword to her powerful, heart-rending book. She reflects on what how she learned from her wrenching marriage to a narcissistic man, a relationship that almost destroyed her. Using her wisdom as a therapist, she adds, in this new edition, useful advice to others who might be suffering from the (often subtle) abuse from narcissistic partners. She offers hope and strategies for protecting oneself from the pain and damage.”
—Ruthellen Josselson, PH.D., author of Paths to Fulfillment: Women’s Search for Meaning and Identity
“Dr. Pomerantz has written a powerful and eloquent book about her journey from emotional captivity to personal freedom. In this edition, she describes even more pointedly her vulnerability to being ensnared by her narcissistic former husband and the brave steps she took to free herself from his web. She melds he psychological savvy with her lived experience to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamics of emotional abuse. Dr. Pomerantz shines a light along the dark path to guide the reader to escape and healing. Her journey is a triumph. So it this book.”
—Emily Samuelson, PH.D., author of Soaring Above the Ashes: Thriving Beyond Childhood Sexual Abuse
“In the second edition of Lost in the Reflecting Pool, Dr. Pomerantz puts on her clinical hat to make this book tremendously important for all women to read. The book describes her personal journey of being married to a narcissist and emotional abuser while fighting a frightening diagnosis and treatment of an aggressive cancer; but now, with empathy and clarity, she also provides readers with information on how to recognize narcissistic and emotionally abusive relationships and how to deal with them. This is a gem and should not be missed.”
—Elyse Garlick, PH.D. L.C.S.W., Licensed Psychotherapist
“An intense, true story about how an intelligent woman is sucked into a marriage that slowly becomes abusive—not physically but emotionally and mentally. A step at a time, she loses her sense of herself and her autonomy until she begins to fight to reclaim her independence and self-worth.”
—Marge Piercy, New York Times best-selling author, poet, and memoirist
“Pomerantz’s is a majestic talent for conjuring emotion and compelling the reader with a compelling and heartbreaking story.”
—Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times best-selling author of The Deep End of the Ocean
“Pomerantz’s memoir is a well-plotted, swift-paced story full of vivid details. Her characters are real and multi-dimensional. This gem of a book stands out from the pack.”
—Book Life/Publisher’s Weekly
“A profoundly absorbing read from cover to cover, Lost in the Reflecting Pool is impressively compelling and candid in thematic accord with the raised public consciousness of how women everywhere must struggle with male abuse. A deftly written and deeply personal account, Lost in the Reflecting Pool is very highly recommended.”
—Midwest Reviews
“Lost in the Reflecting Pool follows Diane Pomerantz through a harrowing psychological nightmare in which she is nearly lost to herself and her children. Is she losing her mind? Or is her spouse? A compelling, intense, and emotionally immersive read.”
—Judy L. Mandel, New York Times best-selling author of Replacement Child
“A psychological thriller/memoir! Is there such a genre? Diane is a trained psychologist. She knew the signals, she saw the signs, and yet slowly, drop by calculated drop, this beautiful and talented woman got sucked into a web of lies, gaslighting, and chaos. A page-turner to the bitter end.”
—Jane Ubell-Meyer, founder of Bedside Reading
“It is an interesting time to be reading a memoir about a narcissist and one cannot help but see parallels in Diane Pomerantz’s exquisite Lost in the Reflecting Pool with narcissists striding the world stage. What they have in common is a desire for control and a stone hard belief in knowing that they are right. About everything. All of the time. Diane Pomerantz could have written her story as a woman crushed beneath the steel wheels of her companion’s egocentricity. She has not. She has written a moving, remarkable study of resilience under unimaginable pressure. A truly excellent read.”
—C.T., Amazon reader review
“Lost in a Reflecting Pool is an excellent memoir, so well written that it is easy to forget it is a memoir and not a novel. The author skillfully deals with the trauma of IVF and is honest as to how hard it was to come to terms with her husband’s controlling and narcissistic behavior, as well as how hard it was to leave him. The fact that the author is a psychologist may make it harder for those who have not been involved in similar relationships to understand why she did not leave earlier but those who have been in a similar position will perfectly relate to her story. The book is very well written, engaging, and fast paced, with excellent characterization, and I am sure it will give hope to thousands of women in similar situations and help them to find their inner strength when they need it most.”
—L.F., Amazon reader review
“Diane Pomerantz has added an epilogue and afterword to her powerful, heart-rending book. She reflects on what how she learned from her wrenching marriage to a narcissistic man, a relationship that almost destroyed her. Using her wisdom as a therapist, she adds, in this new edition, useful advice to others who might be suffering from the (often subtle) abuse from narcissistic partners. She offers hope and strategies for protecting oneself from the pain and damage.”
—Ruthellen Josselson, PH.D., author of Paths to Fulfillment: Women’s Search for Meaning and Identity
“Pomerantz’s is a majestic talent for conjuring emotion and compelling the reader with a compelling and heartbreaking story.”
—Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times best-selling author of The Deep End of the Ocean
“A profoundly absorbing read from cover to cover, Lost in the Reflecting Pool is impressively compelling and candid in thematic accord with the raised public consciousness of how women everywhere must struggle with male abuse. A deftly written and deeply personal account, Lost in the Reflecting Pool is very highly recommended.”
—Midwest Reviews
“Dr. Pomerantz has written a powerful and eloquent book about her journey from emotional captivity to personal freedom. In this edition, she describes even more pointedly her vulnerability to being ensnared by her narcissistic former husband and the brave steps she took to free herself from his web. She melds he psychological savvy with her lived experience to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamics of emotional abuse. Dr. Pomerantz shines a light along the dark path to guide the reader to escape and healing. Her journey is a triumph. So it this book.”
—Emily Samuelson, PH.D., author of Soaring Above the Ashes: Thriving Beyond Childhood Sexual Abuse
“An intense, true story about how an intelligent woman is sucked into a marriage that slowly becomes abusive—not physically but emotionally and mentally. A step at a time, she loses her sense of herself and her autonomy until she begins to fight to reclaim her independence and self-worth.”
—Marge Piercy, New York Times best-selling author, poet, and memoirist
“A psychological thriller/memoir! Is there such a genre? Diane is a trained psychologist. She knew the signals, she saw the signs, and yet slowly, drop by calculated drop, this beautiful and talented woman got sucked into a web of lies, gaslighting, and chaos. A page-turner to the bitter end.”
—Jane Ubell-Meyer, founder of Bedside Reading
“It is an interesting time to be reading a memoir about a narcissist and one cannot help but see parallels in Diane Pomerantz’s exquisite Lost in the Reflecting Pool with narcissists striding the world stage. What they have in common is a desire for control and a stone hard belief in knowing that they are right. About everything. All of the time. Diane Pomerantz could have written her story as a woman crushed beneath the steel wheels of her companion’s egocentricity. She has not. She has written a moving, remarkable study of resilience under unimaginable pressure. A truly excellent read.”
—C.T., Amazon reader review
“In the second edition of Lost in the Reflecting Pool, Dr. Pomerantz puts on her clinical hat to make this book tremendously important for all women to read. The book describes her personal journey of being married to a narcissist and emotional abuser while fighting a frightening diagnosis and treatment of an aggressive cancer; but now, with empathy and clarity, she also provides readers with information on how to recognize narcissistic and emotionally abusive relationships and how to deal with them. This is a gem and should not be missed.”
—Elyse Garlick, PH.D. L.C.S.W., Licensed Psychotherapist
“Pomerantz’s memoir is a well-plotted, swift-paced story full of vivid details. Her characters are real and multi-dimensional. This gem of a book stands out from the pack.”
—Book Life/Publisher’s Weekly
“Lost in the Reflecting Pool follows Diane Pomerantz through a harrowing psychological nightmare in which she is nearly lost to herself and her children. Is she losing her mind? Or is her spouse? A compelling, intense, and emotionally immersive read.”
—Judy L. Mandel, New York Times best-selling author of Replacement Child
“Lost in a Reflecting Pool is an excellent memoir, so well written that it is easy to forget it is a memoir and not a novel. The author skillfully deals with the trauma of IVF and is honest as to how hard it was to come to terms with her husband’s controlling and narcissistic behavior, as well as how hard it was to leave him. The fact that the author is a psychologist may make it harder for those who have not been involved in similar relationships to understand why she did not leave earlier but those who have been in a similar position will perfectly relate to her story. The book is very well written, engaging, and fast paced, with excellent characterization, and I am sure it will give hope to thousands of women in similar situations and help them to find their inner strength when they need it most.”
—L.F., Amazon reader review