Customer Reviews

The 8 Essential Traits of Couples Who Thrive

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I first read this book about 6 years ago, and it reinforced my desire to have a great marriage. I am serious about not settling for an almost good relationship and now my spouse thinks the same way. His first marriage ended after years of bitter conflict so he was not predisposed to thinking marriage was going to be great. We read this book together and talked about the ideas before we married.

There are many concepts and ideas in this book, but one in particular is helpful for us: if one person isn't ready to discuss something we agree to a time and place later in the week when we will discuss the issue fully. This strategy allows both people to think about the issue and generally we actually end up agreeing by the "talk time."

This book has been wonderful for my fiance and me. It has inspired us to make our relationship what we always dreamed it could be but were told was impossible. This is a very affirming book for couples who would like to stay in love.

I bought my first copy of this book 6 years ago, and have purchased dozens of replacement and gift copies since then. It's a wonderful reference for anyone in any situation... it's the one relationship book I've shared that men really appreciate.

I sent this book back because I found the advice mostly rehashed 1950s style advice to women to do whatever your man "needs." There wasn't much advice for men here except to pretend to listen to her, grin and bear it when she wants to talk about the relationship. Pretty grim.

This book is a lot better than the last Susan Page book I reviewed.
Though no one liked my review of her last book I stand by my Biblical
convictions to GOD almighty. Anyways this book teaches some good values
and it teaches many bad values as well. Luckily I am strong enough in my character to not fall prey to bad values I read in books...Even if the Bible has some bad values you have to separate out as well (like saying David is a man of GOD after he committed Adultery with Bathsheba and sent Her husband Uriah to die on the front lines...Clearly David was no man of GOD).

Okay onto the one reason I actually decided to write the review of this Susan Page book. One of the most profound pieces of Wisdom I've ever seen in a book was actually in this book. It was the following paragraph on page 283
"Love is the beginning of the cure for the world's ills, and love is the end, for what more can we desire for the entire planet but that we all have a love so great that we are no longer interested in destroying each other and our planet, but only in deepening and expanding the experience of love for all people-toward each other and toward the earth that sustains us."
This is one of the best paragraphs I've ever read in a non biblical book.
Keep in mind the Bible says for GOD so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son. And the Bible also says that destroyers of the earth will be destroyed. Think if the earth is a pollution spot with bad air and water then it will cease to maintain life and we will all die.
And if man doesn't love other men or women then War will be neverending.
Well I don't see much hope there though since War has waged from the Dawn
of time. You have to defend yourself if someone attacks and tries to kill you, your woman, your kids, whatever. And from the first Caveman with a club to Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Hitler, Churchill, FDR,
Stalin, Mao and endless other leaders War goes on. Gaining territory or idealogy is what it's always about. And make no mistake Economic Warfare is hidden but always there as well. International Corporations aren't as big as they are from lack of resources that's for sure. And International Corporations can't be controlled by any one government. The only question is who the bad guys and who the good guys really are?
After all the governments are printing all the money to control all of their populations to do what they want them to do. In the end money is just a piece of cloth or paper or metal. What's really important is people and food, clothing, shelter , clean air and clean water after all.

Okay so I did more talking in this review than reviewing but I had to write it because of the profound piece of wisdom. If all the advice in the book was as good as that one paragraph then I would rate the book a 5.
But there is talk of Anti-God Gay people in it and there is talk about
Sex before marriage, etc. And those things aren't condemned by the book as they should be. So it only rates a 3. Wish I would've wrote down things while reading the book so the review would be a bit better.

Sincerely,
Jon Beckmon