The Green-Eyed Marriage: Surviving Jealous Relationships by...

The Green-Eyed Marriage: Surviving Jealous Relationships by Robert L. Barker (The Free Press: $17.95).

If Shakespeare’s “Othello” probes the causes of insidious jealousy in men (both Iago and the “noble Moor”), Robert L. Barker’s book offers help for the Desdemonas of this world. A marriage and family therapist, Barker has written a carefully researched, intelligent manual primarily for women who have tussled with the “green-eyed monster.”

Though jealousy are normal and occur among almost all people and in almost all stages of life, it is pathological jealousy that concerns Barker and society as well. Of the 25,000 homicides in the United States each year, one-third, he says, are committed by mistresses, lovers, rivals or spouses.

Barker has devised an eye-opener 100-point questionnaire to determine whether the other party’s jealousy falls into the apathetic, harmless or potentially destructive range. In addition, he describes “games” jealous people play, suggests ways to protect children and, finally, although he doesn’t countenance easy divorce, offers advice on how to terminate a poisoned relationship.