Customer Reviews

Families of Two

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The author interviews couples from around the country about their choice not to have kids, and she does an excellent job of asking these couples insightful, probing questions about their choice. Each interview has its own chapter, and each interview follows a similar format, with similar questions. I liked that because I could compare the various stories of the couples. What's interesting is that while there are some commonalities, the reasons the people being interviewed gave for not having children vary widely.

The author writes a little intro for each couple, describing the setting and what each person does for a living. The people talk about their histories and how they met. So even though this book is nonfiction, I like the sort of character development that comes out. Plus, with all of the well-done pictures, you can easily follow their stories, and you aren't left wondering what people who choose not to have kids *really* look like.

I would definitely recommend this book. I think it quells some myths about the types of people that choose not to have children. It's a must-read, especially for those still deciding whether to have children, for people interested in the choices of others, and for those who know someone that has made the choice. I haven't seen any other books like it, but I sure hope more follow, at least if they're as well done as this one.

I saw Ms. Carroll recently on the Early Show and so needed to hear what she had to say. My wife and I have been happily married for five years, and I am an only child. You cannot believe the pressures and questions we face every time we visit our parents. We immediately purchased a copy of Families of Two and read it this past weekend. Although we may not change our parent's desire for a grandchild, we are both more at peace with our decision, and now have amunition for dealing with our parents and our friends. The couples that Ms. Carroll interviewed also gave us hope that we can continue to enjoy a happy marriage without children. I highly reccommend this book for couples who have decided to be childless, as well as parents & family who harang them with pressure. Thank you Ms. Carroll.

I was hoping to find that the couples, in this book, were alot like my husband and I. Just ordinary people doing something a little different. But these couples seemed to have cornered the market on degrees, phds and compassion (especially w/ children). We are not like the "hippie" "do-gooder" "aura watching" people in this book. I would have liked the author to have found a more diverse group especially in age and income.
We have dogs and cats (our children)and I would have liked to find some animal lovers in this bunch. Where were all the down-to-earth, average people? It was sad to find that these people are not like us after all. Maybe I should just have kids... nah there is that whole diaper thing.

I read this book from the library and liked it so much, I've decided to buy it. I found the 13-page introduction intriguing, where she summarizes her findings. The points that she makes resonated with the discussions that my husband and I have had about having children. In her introduction, she states that most of the interviewees are from California, New York, and Connecticut. While I found that I did not relate completely to some of their lifestyles because I'm in the Midwest, I enjoyed their answers to questions about whether to have children - and I marveled at how we can all be different and yet have much the same thoughts and feelings. I definitely recommend this book. I have been married for 10 years, and it was encouraging to me to read interviews of people who have been happily married for 25, 30, 35 years, etc. without children.

I am considering not having kids, and with the dearth of info out there on this, I ordered this book. It's worth reading and valid, but I wonder if the author could've picked more of a variety of people. The folks in these pages are sort of hippie throwbacks, and it made me feel like there are no couples out there like my husband and I-young urban dwellers considering the no-kids life! These people all seem to be hot-tubbing, commune-living weirdos, which is not what I think all childfree folks are. Could be broader in scope, I guess.

The author starts off with a thoughtful foreward, about why she chose to write about this topic, and the steps she took to identify and locate respondents for this book. Given all the work she had gone through to find, interview, transcribe and even photograph her subjects, I'm surprised her final work was not more than what it is.

It's great that she presented us these couples's stories in their own voices, but, like the other reviewer said, she just puts the interviews out there, and there is no analysis, no discussion, no interpretation. The book's a bit like an anthology of condensed, polished transcripts of her interview recordings.

And unfortunately, most of the interviews themselves did not run very deeply. Everyone was asked essentially the same questions, including "What advice would you give couples who are trying to decide..." and the answers typically were along the lines of "Really know yourself. Make sure you are not doing this to please your family or friends." When asked what tips they had for a successful marriage, the responses were again the usual: "Communication. Trust. Respect."

The book is entertaining enough to read, and good to get a glimpse into other couples' lives and the decisions they made. However, it is just that--a glimpse, and probably will not offer a whole lot that you don't already know.

This is a wonderful book! And long overdue. When my wife and I were considering whether to have children 15 years ago, there were few couples and no books that you could turn to for advice. Now there is and it's well worth reading. I love the fact that Ms. Carroll captures the insights and feelings of several diverse couples who have chosen not to have children. They have clearly experienced many of the same prejudices that my wife and I have encountered, but what strikes me is the richness of their lives and the strength of their relationships. Too many couples have children because it is what society expects or they think it is the only sure fire way to achieve fulfillment. I couldn't help concluding from this book that there are many paths to fulfillment, children are but one. I like the fact that this book does not pass judgement on parenthood, it merely affirms the belief that one can live a rich and fulfilled life in a family of two where both persons are free to pursue their mutual and separate interests.
I highly recommend this book to anyone contemplating this decision. It was a breeze to read. I enjoyed the couples' stories so much that I finished it in two days. Given that raising a child to age 18 is estimated to cost a quarter of a million dollars, the price of this book is a bargain if it helps readers consciously make that choice or the choice not to have children. Thanks Laura Carroll. This book needed to be written!

I was really unsure how I felt about having children. Society said "yes," parents said "yes," we said "we don't THINK so." Then I saw Laura Carroll's interview on television. When I saw someone wrote a book on the topic, I had to get it. I must admit, I was hoping to be told by one of the couples interviewed that my feeling were not selfish. I don't want to be selfish. Many of them admitted that was the case. But many of them also gave other very good reasons for not wanting children. Not wanting to change their lives. And I found myself fitting in the same pattern as these people. We are not freaks! There are others that feel this way! And I was glad to hear from them all.

If you want to get a candid look at couples who are living happily ever after without children, you won't be disappointed. I have to disagree with one of the reviewers who criticized the author's lack of analysis. She gives detailed explanations of the couples and her research in the first chapter. This is not a dense or academically oriented book--It is a presentation of real talk from real people, and the couples' commentary provide the comparisons and contrasts themselves. It is refreshing to read a book that gives the information from the horse's mouth, rather than one step removed by an author who writes 300 pages to make a few main points. In this book, we get to know insightful couples from a wide array of backgrounds and lifestyles. We also get an even closer sense of them through some great photos. It was an informative and reassuring read; I left feeling very clear about not having to feel guilty or strange for not wanting to be a parent.

I found this to be an excellent story of various couples and their lives as a "Family of Two". It really helped me come to terms with and be at peace with our decision not to have children. It helped me to stand strong under society's pressures to have kids and to keep my head up high with friends, family, neighbors, etc who looked at me like something must be wrong with us because we chose not to have children. I recommend it. Easy reading.