Customer Reviews

Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts Workbook for Men

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

 

 

This workbook, along with the main book, are excellent counseling tools for couples engaged or considering marriage. It is also excellent for couples that are already married. It is professionally done, and includes many exercises that help couples communicate their expectations about marriage and eliminate some problems before they begin. It is well worth the money.

This book was recommended to us by several friends and my mother, so we bought and read it. I would have been happier had I borrowed it from the library and not spent the money. It has some good common-sense suggestions to keep a relationship working, but nothing earth-shattering. The only things I found really helpful were the triangular model of relationships and the chapter on ebb and flow. Other than that, if you've taken Psychology 101 this book has nothing new for you. Also, I was very disappointed in the workbooks. The book makes you feel like you are missing out if you don't stop every few paragraphs to do an exercise in the workbook, but the workbook is exceptionally lame and consists mostly of empty lines and questions that are obvious to the reader anyway-- definitely not worth $14 extra. If you want a really fantastic marriage book, try "I Pledge You My Troth" by James Olthuis, if you can find it.

First off, the excerpts (table of contents, page and backcover) above are from the workbook, not the book.

The book was a very easy and quick read. I have suggested it to a number of friends as I feel it brings up some valid points and can be used as a spring board to further discussion. Too many people marry without talking about what they are getting into and expecting. The book talks about the myths of marriage, the ebb and flow of relationships, expectations, and ends with a discussion on faith and religion in marriage. That is in the last chapter and can be skipped if you are not religeous and/or shy away from "Christian" stuff. The rest of the book only touches on faith as it relates to the authors description of an event.

The book was written in '95 and mentions much of the relationship self help stuff from that era. The authors are married, and they give examples from thier own marriage, as well as from other couples they have counseled. There are out-quotes, places to pause for discussion, and a few diagrams.

As someone else mentioned, the book does make you feel as if you have to get the workbooks to get a complete picture. You don't. I thought they were overpriced for what they are, although they too can help in discussion, especially if you aren't doing any other than what color flowers to get and what kind of limo you want. The excercises range from really simple ratings (on a scale of 1 to 5, how improtant is the following to you, do alone and compare and discuss) to more time consuming stuff (what unwritten rules do you have?). I found out in one excercie that my honey expects me to do 80% of the childrearing, while I expected we'd be closer to 60/40.

Part of it is intuitive stuff, part of it is stuff that you might think, "I hadn't thought of it that way". If you're reading about this book, congrats and Good luck!

This book was a great help to me and my now husband when we were engaged.It was very helpful in teaching us ways to communicate! We gave it to our pastor who ended up using all there book for pre-marital programs. We have now been married for 5 years and highly recommend this book to everyone who is married or thinking about it! It can help improve any relationship!

I found this book to be so informational in many aspects. It has helped me see many areas that I am responsible and accountable to God for in my responses and attitude. The various topics it covers in regard to marriage/communication are really great!

We started reading this a little before we got married, we aren't done yet but it is great. Sets realistic expectations and brings you closer together! Best relationship book I've read so far!

We ordered these to use in a structured marriage seminar. It was the old version but it has most of the same data. The cost was great too. So this is good enough for us.