Successful Women, Angry Men [Hardcover]

Bebe Moore Campbell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 1987

In this provocative-and practical-guidebook from the author of Singing in the Comeback Choir and Brothers and Sisters, Bebe Moore Campbell answers the questions that trouble today's two-income couples: Who comes first in a marriage of equals? Whose job determines a family move? Who is responsible for the household duties and care of the children? Based on more than 100 interviews, this important book has sound advice for men and women on coping with-and eliminating -career-threats from relationships and developing a common ground of mutual respect.

"Thoughtful advice on ways couples can reduce stress."-Kirkus Reviews

"A worthwhile read for everyone... a message of hope."-Buffalo News

"Optimistic."-Newsday

"Engrossing."-The Chattanooga Times

"Valid."-The State (Columbia, SC)

"Tackles a new problem."-Today's Chicago Woman

"A good guidebook."-Tampa Tribune & Times

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this country, over half the married women, many with children, work outside the home, and dual-career couples now head the divorce statistics. Such figures, quoted in Campbell's book, claim the reader's attention. Herself a divorced mother, the author, a freelance writer, assesses her own situation and also interviews some 100 married men and women whose opinions suggest an underlying cause of breakups: males express their insecurity, which makes it difficult to accept a wife's accomplishments as a wage-earner; females note that they are not yet comfortable with success or even with women's newly won rights. Campbell concludes that lasting marriages require that a couple respect each other as friends and equals.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

With 60 percent of women working outside the home, two-career families have become the norm. This book explores the serious family problems that sometimes result. The first two-thirds, stridently written, is a litany of horrors in which men are almost always to blame. By the time the reader is halfway through, all feelings are numbed by the telling and retelling of domestic agonies. In the final one-third the tone changes dramatically as the author seeks solutions to the problems described earlier. She raises some thoughtful social and individual issues worth pondering by anyone with the stamina to reach this part of the book. Unfortunately, the book is a case of overkill that obscures an important issue facing the majority of American families today. John M. Haynes, Haynes Mediation Associates, New York
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 236 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st edition (January 12, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394551494
• ISBN-13: 978-0394551494
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,143,331 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A worthy read!, January 6, 2007

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ABG (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Successful Women, Angry Men (Paperback)

This book can be pretty depressing due to its focus on some pretty horrible behavior by certain men. But if you can brace yourself against the unflattering light put on many men in relationships with successful women, it's definitely a worthy read...If you can overlook the really egregious men in the stories, the descriptions of the more normal men and how their expectations in marriage can change over time, especially when married to successful women, could potentially be an eye-opening read. I'd highly recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Most Unfortunate Title For This Excellent Book, November 5, 2009

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BadBadCatMommy "MyCatsEternalServant" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Successful Women, Angry Men (Paperback)

I read this book back in 2001. I didn't know until just now that it had previous printings much earlier than that. Anyway, I decided when I finished reading the book that it was hung with a most unfortunate title. I personally walked away from it believing it certainly was not primarily about men who were angry that their significant others were either successful or more successful than themselves. Mostly what I took away from the book was the psychological and emotional make-up of the individuals who comprise successful two career households while also managing to achieve great relationships that aren't counter-dependent (I prefer that term over co-dependent because I believe it's a far more accurate description of "dysfunctional" relationships). This is far from being the man-bashing tome the title promises and I think it's kinda sad that the title in-and-of-itself would likely keep many who would benefit from Ms. Campbell's knowledge from ever reading it. Unfortunately, most people do judge a book by it's cover and, well, that's where the title usually is.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ahhhh misandry, March 17, 2008

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BRL (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Successful Women, Angry Men (Paperback)

This book's underlying message is that if a man expresses his feelings he is inherently trying to manipulate a relationship and is acting abusively. This sort of book reinforces failing in relationships because it intimates that a man's perspective and view on a relationship are simply unimportant. The title gives away its bias and sexism from the get go-