Customer Reviews

Life without Father: Compelling New Evidence That Fatherhood and Marriage Are Indispensable for the Good of Children and Society

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With all of the various problems associated with the youth of our country - violence, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy, lower academic achievements, etc. - it is time that we consider how fathers can make a positive difference. Popenoe makes a strong case using authentic, supportive evidence for his conclusions about the unique contributions of father and the need to restore marriage. Even with research citations, the book is not difficult to read except for the pain of perhaps "having your toes stepped on". But Popenoe manages to do this with tact and honesty as well as offer comprehensive solutions in which everyone can participate to help our nation's children. I would recommend this book whether you are a parent, educator, or in some other profession involving children and families.

Author marshals significant amount of factual and statisical information to justify the importance of intact families. The subject matter is "politically incorrect" considering that any group of disparate individuals may call themselves a family now days but Popenoe argues persuasively that the best conditions for raising emotionally healthy children are in families units containing the biological father. He also uses the emerging field of evolutionary psychology to bolster his arguments. Try bringing up the topic of importance of biological fathers with your acquaintances to find out how loaded this subject is.

David Popenoe discusses the effects of children being raised in broken homes and clearly illustrates the research that indicates that children need the support of both biological parents. The book is accessible to the lay reader and is a real eye opener that many of the family policies adopted by the U.S. over the past half century are contributing factors for increases in child abuse and reduced child achievement in education. This was not only an enjoyable read, but and interesting one as well.