A New York Times Bestseller “I have been through some of the worst of contentious divorce litigation,” Alec Baldwin declares in A Promise to Ourselves. Using a very personal approach, he offers practical guidance to help others avoid the anguish he has endured. Alec Baldwin is one of the most successful actors in the world today. His relationship with Kim Basinger, the Academy Award–winning actress, lasted nearly a decade. They have a daughter named Ireland, and for a time, theirs seemed to be the model of a successful Hollywood marriage. But in 2000 they separated and in 2002 divorced. Their split—specifically the custody battle surrounding Ireland—would be the subject of media attention for years to come. Baldwin has seen the heavy toll that divorce can take. He has been extensively involved in divorce litigation and has witnessed the way that noncustodial parents, especially fathers, are often forced to abandon hopes of equitable rights when it comes to their children. He makes a powerful case for reexamining the way divorce and child custody is decided in this country and levels a scathing attack at what he calls the “family law industry.” This is an important, informative, and intimate book on a contentious subject that offers hope of finding a better way.