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Before I begin, I must admit that this, and the series of posts that will follow it, will be seen by some as shamelessly self-indulgent. You see, whilst I greatly enjoy writing about and disseminating vital information regarding the divorce process, new and proposed developments in family law and the findings of surveys and studies, I have long harboured  a love of the arts and have, for some time now, been considering how to discuss these topics within this blog. My ‘eureka’ moment arrived earlier this week. I have viewed, read and listened to any number of artistic texts dealing with divorces and the dissolution of relationships, many of which have been profound and moving so why not write about them. They could, after all, help people through divorce in the same way that they’ve helped me through the end of relationships. So, as of today, I will be posting about my favourite albums, films and books that deal with such topics as divorce, break-ups and the decline of the modern nuclear family. I thought long and hard about what I would discuss first, concluding that it would be appropriate to talk about the text that yielded my aforementioned moment of enlightenment; Bob Dylan’s timeless classic, Blood on the Tracks. Recorded following the singer songwriter’s separation from then wife, Sara, Blood on the Tracks is laced with all of the emotions and moods that one would associate with divorce – regret, sadness, anger, longing and confusion, to name but a few – and this text’s profoundness is rooted in the brutally honest nature in which the tales of marital breakdown contained within it are recounted. Blood on the Tracks tells stories of happy relationships gone wrong (Tangled up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate), the anger that a person often feels towards a departing spouse (You’re a Big Girl Now, Idiot Wind), and the sadness and despair brought on by divorce (You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go, If You See Her, Say Hello). Stories which, following break-ups, mirrored my own feelings and, even the album had long finished, stayed with me, accompanying me on my journey back to happiness and contentment. If you haven’t heard this album before, I strongly recommend that you seek out a copy. If you are going through a divorce or separation, I am certain that it will help you attempts at recuperation. If, on the other hand you are in a happy relationship or blissfully single, then you can enjoy the majestic song writing and lyricism of one of the greatest musicians of the modern era.