Marriages and Families: Changes, Choices, and Constraints (4th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: The most comprehensive book on contemporary families
Review: This is far more than a textbook. Filled with fascinating history and trends, this is a literary cornucopia on marriage, children, gender roles, dating, sexuality, and much more. Although written by a reknowned sociologist, the information can be equally utilized in a college class or by an individual, who is seeking current empowering information. Benokraitis provides a multitude of data on the changes in the structure of marriage and families, the choices that social groups are offered, as well as the constraints that place limits on many families in contemporary society. The book poses questions, offers insights, and summarizes critical concepts on the roles of the evolving family.
I will be utilizing this text to teach a Sociology course on Marriage & Family. It is filled with exercises, simple graphs, personal anecdotes, and outstanding summaries. This is the 5th edition, but I studied the 2nd edition 11 years ago as an undergraduate. If possible, this wonderful, comprehensive book is even better now. I cannot recommend it enough!!

Rating:
Summary: an eye opener!
Review: When discerning the human social condition, I always refer to this text; when conversing with family and friends about the construct of what drives humans to make relationship choices, I refer them to this text. If I have read this text ten years ago I would have not have gotten married. Knowledge is EMPOWERMENT...the information in this text will knock your socks off! From what theories drive human interaction, to learning gender roles and sterotypes, the perpetuators of gender sterotyping. We still choose who to marry by how we look, as opposed to intrinsic factors of humanness. Poverty? this book identifies why we need it and who benefits from it. Women and Children?....the most vulnarable population...is it governmental priority?....not hardly! Global male dominance?...alive,well, and thriving! This text should be required reading on every college prep and university campus.