“A unique and thoughtful book—part memoir, part social science, part self-help—explores the abiding mystery of the mother-child bond.”

– Emily Bobrow, The Wall Street Journal.

“Saltman tells two separate stories here: One is her personal journey as a mother, the other the story of the science of attachment.“

– Diana Cole, The Washington Post.

Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey into the Science of Attachment, written by Bethany Saltman ’92 over the course of ten years, is a book that investigates the controversial and often misunderstood science of attachment theory.

Inspired by Saltman’s own experience as a mother and as a daughter, she writes about her ten-year journey visiting labs, archives, and training sessions and working together closely with one of psychology’s most important but unsung researchers: Mary Ainsworth who died in 1999.

The book is part memoir, part biography, part science, and takes a deep-dive into big questions that arose during her training as a Zen student, as a new mother, as a daughter, and as a human being.

As stated by Penguin Random House, “Strange Situation is a scientific, lyrical, life-affirming exploration of love. Not only will readers be taken on an emotional ride, but they will also be given the tools with which to better understand their own life histories and their relationships today.”

The book is available for purchase by visiting the Strange Situation page of Saltman’s new website.