The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society [Hardcover]

Bryan (Bryan Strong) Strong (Author), Christine DeVault (Author), Theodore F. Cohen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0534624243 | ISBN-13: 978-0534624248 | Publication Date: February 9, 2007 | Edition: 010

THE MARRIAGE & FAMILY EXPERIENCE is a realistic look at relationships today. These experienced authors will help you see and understand the underlying issues at work in marriages, families, and all kinds of relationships. Real-life cross-cultural examples and features that encourage you to look deeper at yourself make the Tenth Edition accessible and compelling_this is a book you can relate to and one you will want to read! The book presents the latest information on adoptive parenting, childbearing patterns, gay and lesbian families, the meaning of virginity, gender roles and sexuality, communication and conflict resolution, the influence of popular culture, and working families. With thorough and compelling coverage of all kinds of today's families and relationships, the book dispels myths about gender differences and gives you a realistic and comprehensive overview of the concepts and topics you'll need to succeed in your course.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 672 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 010 edition (February 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534624243
• ISBN-13: 978-0534624248
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > German

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book only if you have to, April 19, 2008

By 

Imperatrix "imperatrix" (Bronx, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cengage Advantage Books: The Marriage & Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society (Thomson Advantage Books) (Loose Leaf)

This book is required by the college where I teach, otherwise I would not use it in class. It's poorly researched. Information is presented in sweeping generalizations. The authors never discuss the nature and scope of sociological research. As a result, studies that merely "suggest" certain trends are given equal weight and emphasis as more rigorous, conclusive research. In many chapters, the authors contradict themselves from one page to the next. As a college instructor, I have had find extensive supplementary material to correct many of the mistakes in this text.

Another issue of importance for college students is the cost of this barely useful text. This looseleaf edition, while inconvenient (yes, you need a binder), is significantly cheaper than the hardcover edition. If you are required by your school to waste your money on this book, it makes sense to purchase the cheaper edition.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Generalizations and presumptions! 11th edition, July 17, 2008

By 

Benjamin Higginbotham "Try it out." (Rockwall, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society (Hardcover)

I was recently enrolled in a college course at UNT on 'Marriage and Family'. Unfortunately, this was the textbook the instructor insisted on using. The book is filled with generalizations about how different genders and races raise their children, many of the generalizations are stated without any source. At times it seems as though the author's only intention is to get the readers teeth grinding with anger. The chapters would go on and on about presumptions that I feel the author's know very little about. One source was a survey from 30 years ago(!)A survey from 1978 may hold little weight in 2008. There was little info on couples who choose to NOT have children, is a childless couple not a 'family'? If you are currently enrolled in a class that uses this text book, just keep the real world in perspective, and take the authors opinion with a grain of salt. After finishing the course a few weeks back, I finally got the opportunity to return the book to it's proper location (a dumpster).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars gets the job done, February 19, 2008

By 

A. Dos "amenok" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cengage Advantage Books: The Marriage & Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society (Thomson Advantage Books) (Loose Leaf)

well had to get this book for a college course. thankfully, my teacher wasn't so dependant on the books first times, or this would be a disaster.

it took about THREE(3) weeks to receive this book.

and as my own fault i didn't read the "looseleaf" at the end. so that means it comes with holes! be prepare to have a binder.

so yea, my real complaint this thing took so long to be sent, now stuck with this since forbid how long it will take to get another one! guess thats what get for doing these things not a week before school starts

So be careful and read the descriptions folks! That extra 5 bucks to buy another book from another person could've saved you a lot of trouble!